We hear and see the word “energy” often today. However, what exactly is energy? Is it the gasoline we put in our cars? Is it the electricity provided by a utility? Yes. Each is a specific form of energy as energy can be categorized as either energy in motion (aka kinetic energy) or energy at rest (potential energy). The gasoline is potential energy. It is converted to kinetic energy when it is ignited in the car’s engine. Electricity is potential energy until one turns on an electrical device where the energy then is kinetic energy. Regardless of whether the energy is potential or kinetic, energy is the capacityto do work.

It is important to understand what energy is because energy is at the core of life itself. Without energy, life as we know it does not exist. We humans take in food (potential energy) and convert it to movements we do and thoughts we have. Plants convert sunlight (potential energy) to activities that allow the plant to grow (kinetic energy).

Energy is expressed in a variety of units. Joules, BTUs, calories, watts, and horsepower are examples. History and how energy is used are reasons why there are different labels to define the units. There are conversion factors that allow one unit of measurement to be converted into the others.

Understanding what energy is also allows one to appreciate the complexities associated with climate change. To illustrate my point, imagine mapping energy use cases (kinetic energy) to their respective energy sources (potential energy). In doing so, we can identify opportunities where we can alter the source with no change to the end use or with the change in source, totally rethink the end use. For example, plug-in electric cars change the potential energy source (gasoline to electricity) but the end use stays the same (personal automobile transportation). On the other hand, battery technology advancement was a contributing factor to the advent of smart phones – a total rethink of how we communicate.

With this knowledge that energy is either energy is potential or kinetic, we can begin to understand the relationship between energy and climate change.