Chapter 4 - A Concept: Energy Currencies

In 1980, I realized that terms such as ‘energy carrier’ were causing us to miss a nuance and, in turn, to miss a critical point. So I began searching for a name that would at least suggest the nuances. That’s when the analogy with monetary currencies led me to ‘energy currencies.’ Monetary currencies—dollars, yen or euros, for example—enable financial transactions, but are not themselves sources of wealth. An energy currency enables energy transactions but is not, itself, a source of energy. That part of the analogy is straightforward. Other parts, the nuances, are more abstract but often more valuable because they lead to insights.

 

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