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Web Site Overview
Energy, in all its varied forms, is an essential part of every aspect of our lives. It’s the foundation for our economy and our lifestyles. What would happen if that foundation crumbled? If the lights went out and the computers went dead and there was no fuel for cars or trucks or planes? Because we're so dependent on energy, a lot of thought has to go into its future. How will we generate it? How much should we use? How will those choices affect the environment? The Explore More: The Future of Energy Web site gives students the opportunity to investigate the various types, uses, and important issues of energy.
Web Site Features
Profiles
 We need energy in order to live our lives. In fact, energy is defined as the ability to do work. We all use energy, but where does it come from? This section looks at the profiles of eight energy resources. Students are able to compare and contrast the energy profiles to determine which types are the best mix for our future energy needs. Energy profiles include biomass, fossil fuels, geothermal, hydrogen, hydropower, nuclear, solar, and wind.
Uses
Energy. What is it good for? Absolutely everything. This section takes a look at how energy provides us with electricity, heating and cooling, manufacturing, and transportation. Explore how our energy needs must be met in all four uses. Our lives would be much, much different without the products and opportunities energy provides. The Uses section includes the topics of electricity, heating and cooling, transportation, and manufacturing.
 Issues
When we try to determine the right energy mix for our future, we need to consider the issues surrounding energy. What does it mean to be a consumer of energy? How can conservation and increased efficiency affect our energy use? Are we able to get all the energy types where we need them? And how does energy impact our world? This section gets students thinking about the many different ways that energy affects them. Issues include consumption, efficiency, infrastructure, and environment.
Viewpoints
 How will energy change in the future? How will it be generated and transmitted, conserved or consumed? Students check out the different viewpoints from experts. Stakeholders include a senator, fossil fuels professor, geothermal spokesperson, biomass researcher, environmentalist, power company spokesperson, solar entrepreneur, hydropower superintendent, nuclear industry manager, energy consultant, researcher, energy data analyst, and policy expert.
Energy In-Depth
What is energy? Does electricity travel through wires? This section provides the basic background students need to make sense of the Explore More: The Future of Energy Web site. Information includes energy and work, potential and kinetic energy, types of energy, atoms, circuits, electrical generation, our sun, and a timeline of important events.
 Features
Got energy? Explore some of the stories that generate curiosity. Students can read more on topics that interest them. This section contains links to special interest stories about energy and related content. Articles include Trans-Atlantic Pipeline, Switching to Switchgrass, Clean Coal, Hydro-Powerhouse, A New Design for Nuclear Plants: The Pebble Bed Reactor, Solar Two Reflects on Energy, Heat Pumps, Emissions, and many more!
 Online Glossary
The glossary contains helpful definitions and graphics. Students can search for a particular word or check out the index.
Web Links
Students can explore more about energy by visiting these Web links. Remind students to keep in mind who the sponsors of these Web sites are and what their interests might be.
Careers
Many career professionals rely upon energy to do their jobs (some more than others). No matter where their interests lie, students can learn about ways to prepare for careers in energy. Many of these careers use forms of energy directly such as a welder, farmer, or driver. Others are in energy fields such as an electrician or mechanical engineer. As students explore these links, they can discover how an understanding of energy issues can have real implications in the workplace.
- Aircraft Maintenance
- Chief Pilot
- Construction Engineer
- Director of Environmental Services
- Driver
- Electric Line Crew Foreman
- Electrician
- Farmer
- Industrial Engineer
- Mechanical Engineer
- Tool and Die Maker
- Truck Mechanic
- Welder
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