"Energy is the go of things," as James Clerk Maxwell pointed out. This th simple truth was largely overlooked during the first 70 years of the 20 century, because in the industrial world most politicians, civil servants, and opinion makers were inclined to believe that virtually an infinite supply of reasonably priced energy would always be available, and so things would continue to 'go' in the manner to which many of their constituents and admirers had become accustomed. Similar opinions were held about fresh air, and water for consumption and agricultural uses. As a result, it was not until the last two decades of the century that serious courses in energy and environmental economics began to be offered at institutions of higher learning around the world. This book is intended as a comprehensive introductory text and/or reference book for courses of this nature having to do with energy economics. (I have also attempted to make the book useful for self study. ) As far as I know, there are no energy economics text or reference books on the level of this book in the English language. Needless to say, if I am wrong then I apologise to their authors; but right or wrong, I would like to see more energy economics books of all descriptions now. We cannot afford to have the same kind of mistakes made with energy policy that (in much of the world) are being made with e. g. employment policy.

This book is an up-to-date primer covering the most important subjects in energy economics, with particular attention paid to oil, natural gas, and nuclear energy, and without an excessive amount of mathematics. The first three survey chapters constitute an introductory (and mostly non-technical) short course in modern energy economics. Most of the technical analysis is taken up in the following four chapters, while the last chapter is a completely non-technical summation that can be read independent of the rest of the book. Written in a user-friendly tone, it is suitable as a textbook for undergraduate and/or graduate students, but most of the book should be accessible to anyone with a serious interest in energy economics.

Originally published in 1987 this book presents a comprehensive survey of the global natural gas industry: it looks at the problems of supply, the pattern of demand, the economics of the industrya nd how the industry in the 1980s was being affected by changes in other energy sectors. As a key commodity in the world economy the supply of natural gas is increasingly affecting and changing international relations between importer and supplier countries: the siberian natural gas pipeline which supplies Soviet gas to Western Europe is a key example of the impact of natural gas on international relations and one which is discussed in the book.

Originally published in 1987 this book presents a comprehensive survey of the global natural gas industry: it looks at the problems of supply, the pattern of demand, the economics of the industrya nd how the industry in the 1980s was being affected by changes in other energy sectors. As a key commodity in the world economy the supply of natural gas is increasingly affecting and changing international relations between importer and supplier countries: the siberian natural gas pipeline which supplies Soviet gas to Western Europe is a key example of the impact of natural gas on international relations and one which is discussed in the book.

"Energy is the go of things," as James Clerk Maxwell pointed out. This th simple truth was largely overlooked during the first 70 years of the 20 century, because in the industrial world most politicians, civil servants, and opinion makers were inclined to believe that virtually an infinite supply of reasonably priced energy would always be available, and so things would continue to 'go' in the manner to which many of their constituents and admirers had become accustomed. Similar opinions were held about fresh air, and water for consumption and agricultural uses. As a result, it was not until the last two decades of the century that serious courses in energy and environmental economics began to be offered at institutions of higher learning around the world. This book is intended as a comprehensive introductory text and/or reference book for courses of this nature having to do with energy economics. (I have also attempted to make the book useful for self study. ) As far as I know, there are no energy economics text or reference books on the level of this book in the English language. Needless to say, if I am wrong then I apologise to their authors; but right or wrong, I would like to see more energy economics books of all descriptions now. We cannot afford to have the same kind of mistakes made with energy policy that (in much of the world) are being made with e. g. employment policy.