Energy may be the most important factor that will influence the shape of society in the 21st century. The cost and availability of energy significantly impacts our quality of life, the health of national economies, the relationships between nations, and the stability of our environment. What kind of energy do we want to use in our future? Will there be enough? What will the consequences of our decisions be? Every one of us has a stake in the answers to these questions and the decisions that are being made to provide energy. The choices we make today will effect generations to come. What kind of future do we want to prepare for them? We can make the best decisions by being aware of our options and the consequences of our choices. This informative book examines how society can make the transition from a reliance on fossil fuels to energy independence. The reader is exposed to a broad range of energy types and will develop an appreciation of the role that each energy type may play in the future. Energy in the 21st Century was written to give the concerned citizen enough information about energy to make informed decisions and contribute to the debate.