Editing Energy carrier

{{Short description|Type of fuel}}
{{Use American English|date = April 2019}}
{{Use mdy dates|date = April 2019}}

An '''energy carrier''' is a substance ([[fuel]]) or sometimes a phenomenon (energy system) that contains [[energy]] that can be later converted to other forms such as [[work (physics)|mechanical work]] or [[heat]] or to operate chemical or physical processes.

Such carriers include [[spring (device)|springs]], [[electrical batteries]], [[capacitors]], [[pressurized air]], [[dammed water]], [[hydrogen]], [[metal energy carriers]]<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecs.2018.05.001|doi=10.1016/j.pecs.2018.05.001|title=Recyclable metal fuels for clean and compact zero-carbon power|year=2018|last1=Bergthorson|first1=Jeffrey M.|journal=Progress in Energy and Combustion Science|volume=68|pages=169-196|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>[https://www.metalot.org/images/knowledge/8/20241thepotentialofironpower.pdf Metalot - The Potential of Iron Power]</ref>,[[petroleum]], [[coal]], [[fuel wood|wood]], and [[natural gas]]. An energy carrier does not [[energy production|produce energy]]; it simply contains energy imbued by another system.

==Definition according to ISO 13600==
According to ISO 13600, an '''energy carrier''' is either a substance or a phenomenon that can be used to produce mechanical work or heat or to operate chemical or physical processes.<ref>[https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:iso:13600:ed-1:v1:en ISO 13600:1997(en) Technical energy systems — Basic concepts]</ref> It is any system or substance that contains [[energy]] for conversion as usable energy later or somewhere else. This could be converted for use in, for example, an appliance or vehicle. Such carriers include [[spring (device)|springs]], [[electrical batteries]], [[capacitors]], [[pressurized air]], [[dammed water]], [[hydrogen]], [[petroleum]], [[coal]], [[fuel wood|wood]], and [[natural gas]].

ISO 13600 series (ISO 13600, ISO 13601, and [[ISO 13602]]) are intended to be used as tools to define, describe, analyse and compare technical energy systems (TES) at micro and macro levels:<ref>[https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:iso:13602:-1:en  ISO 13602-1:2002(en) Technical energy systems — Methods for analysis — Part 1: General]</ref>

*ISO 13600 (''Technical energy systems — Basic concepts'') covers basic definitions and terms needed to define and describe TESs in general and TESs of energyware supply and demand sectors in particular.
*ISO 13601 (''Technical energy systems — Structure for analysis — [[Energyware]] supply and demand sectors'') covers structures that shall be used to describe and analyse sub-sectors at the macro level of energyware supply and demand
*[[ISO 13602]] (all parts) facilitates the description and analysis of any technical energy systems.

==Definition within the field of energetics==
[[File:Different energy forms (EC).png|thumb|'''Energy carriers''' are produced by the energy sector using '''primary energy sources'''.]]
In the field of [[energy|energetics]], an '''energy carrier''' is produced by human technology from a [[primary energy]] source. Only the energy sector uses primary energy sources. Other sectors of society use an energy carrier to perform useful activities (end-uses).<ref name="GIAMPIETROMAYUMI2009">{{cite book |last1=Giampietro |first1=Mario |last2=Mayumi |first2=Kozo |title=The Biofuel Delusion: The Fallacy of Large Scale Agro-Biofuels Production |url=https://archive.org/details/biofueldelusionf00giam_021 |url-access=limited |publisher=Earthscan |location=London |year=2009 |page=[https://archive.org/details/biofueldelusionf00giam_021/page/n62 44] |isbn=978-1-84407-681-9 }}</ref><!--1st gen or 2nd gen?--> The distinction between "Energy Carriers" (EC) and "Primary Energy Sources" (PES) is extremely important. An energy carrier can be more valuable (have a higher quality) than a primary energy source. For example 1 [[Joule#Megajoule|megajoule]] (MJ) of electricity produced by a hydroelectric plant is equivalent to 3 MJ of oil.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Giampietro |first1=Mario |last2=Mayumi |first2=Kozo |title=The Biofuel Delusion: The Fallacy of Large Scale Agro-Biofuels Production |url=https://archive.org/details/biofueldelusionf00giam_021 |url-access=limited |publisher=Earthscan |location=London |year=2009 |page=[https://archive.org/details/biofueldelusionf00giam_021/page/n63 45] |isbn=978-1-84407-681-9 }}</ref> [[Sunlight]] is a main source of primary energy, which can be [[photosynthesis|transformed]] into plants and [[Petroleum#Formation|then into coal, oil and gas]]. [[Solar power]] and [[wind power]] are other derivatives of sunlight. Note that although [[coal]], [[petroleum|oil]] and [[natural gas]] are derived from sunlight,<ref>{{cite journal|doi=10.1016/j.orggeochem.2005.09.001|title=Organic geochemistry – A retrospective of its first 70 years|year=2006 |last1=Kvenvolden|first1=Keith A. |journal=Organic Geochemistry |volume=37|issue=1 |pages=1–11|bibcode=2006OrGeo..37....1K |s2cid=95305299 |url=https://zenodo.org/record/1000677}}</ref> they are considered primary energy sources which are extracted from the earth ([[fossil fuel]]s). [[Natural uranium]] is also a primary energy source extracted from the earth but does not come from the decomposition of organisms (mineral fuel).

== See also ==
* [[Capital goods]]
* [[Coefficient of performance]]
* [[Embedded energy]]
* [[Energy and society]]
* [[Energy crisis]]
* [[Energy pay-back]]
* [[Energy resource]]
* [[wikt:energy source|Energy source]]
* [[Energy storage]]
* [[wikt:energyware|Energyware]]
* [[Entropy]]
* [[Exergy]]
* [[Future energy development]]
* [[Hydrogen economy]]
* [[ISO 14000]]
* [[Liquid nitrogen economy]]
* [[Lithium economy]]
* [[Methanol economy]]
* [[Metal Energy Carriers]]
* [[Renewable resource]]
* [[Vegetable oil economy]]
*[[Renewable energy|Renewable Energy]]

== References ==

{{Reflist|30em}}

== Further reading ==

* [http://www.euronuclear.org/info/encyclopedia/e/energy-carrier.htm European Nuclear Society info pool/glossary: Energy carrier] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060927024744/http://www.euronuclear.org/info/encyclopedia/e/energy-carrier.htm |date=September 27, 2006 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120127193231/http://ourenergyfutures.org/page-cid-7.html#Energy_Carriers Our Energy Futures glossary: Energy Carriers]
* [https://www.deet.at/ Störungsdienst, Elektriker] (in German)

== External links ==
* "[[Boron]]: a better energy carrier than hydrogen?" [http://www.eagle.ca/~gcowan/Paper_for_11th_CHC.html paper by Graham Cowan]
* [http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/catalogue_tc/catalogue_detail.htm?csnumber=22366 ISO 13600 Technical energy systems -- Basic concepts]: gives the basic concepts needed to define and describe [[technical energy system]]s.

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[[Category:Energy storage]]
[[Category:Thermodynamics]]
[[Category:Hydrogen production]]