Economic and technological development is linked with shifts in sources of energy. The tendency has been the adoption sources that have a higher energy content, as the shift from coal (solid) to oil (liquid) and natural gas (gas) indicates. This shift can be simplified into five major phases, one about the future being speculative: From the beginning of history up to the industrial revolution (18th century), mankind's use of energy relied only on muscular and biomass sources. Most work was provided by manual labor and animals, while the biomass (mainly firewood) provided for heating and cooking energy needs. Other sources of energy, such as windmills and watermills were present but their overall contribution was marginal. By the mid 19th century, the industrial revolution brought a major shift in energy sources with the usage of coal, mainly for steam engines, but increasingly for power plants. As the 20th century began, the major reliance was on coal, but a gradual shift towards higher energy content sources like oil began. This second major shift inaugurated the era of the internal combustion engine and of oil-powered ships. 

经济和科技的发展和能源的变化联系在一起。的趋势已收养的来源有更高的能量含量，从转变煤（固体）油（液）和天然气（天然气）表示。这种转变可以简化为五个主要阶段，一个关于未来的投机：从历史到工业革命（第十八世纪），人类的利用能源仅依赖于肌肉和生物质能源。大部分工作是由体力劳动和动物，而生物质（主要是木柴）提供加热和烹饪的能源需求。其他能源，如风车、水车本但整体贡献边际。

第十九世纪中期，工业革命带来的能源的重大转变随着煤炭的使用源，主要用于蒸汽机，但越来越多的权力植物。

在第二十世纪开始，主要依赖于煤炭，而是一个逐渐转向更高的能量来源，如石油开始。本次重大转变，开创了时代的内燃机油动力船。