One of the characteristics of complex society is a high level of energy consumption. The per capita energy consumption is taken to be the measure of living standards of people. Just some 150 years ago, fuels were used primarily for cooking, heating and lighting purposes. Apart from complex cooking and heating, today fuels are used in transportation, communication, illumination, manufacturing and a host of other applications.

Coal, oil and natural gas, which are presently the principal sources of energy, are called fossil fuels (non-renewable energy sources). These fossil fuels are thought to have been formed over millions of years ago. Until the industrial revolution, fire wood was the main source of energy. As the wood sources depleted due to extensive, reckless deforestation, coal (black diamond) took the place of wood as a source of energy in industries and transportation. During the period of 1920 – 1930, the consumption of natural gas and petroleum increased rapidly due to expanding use as fuel for internal combustion engines.

With an enormous rise in world population during the past few decades, the energy requirements have also increased at even larger rate. Our increasing

appetite for energy is one of the causes for our energy crisis. According to some projections, we may run out of fossil fuels, by 2025. A considerable interest has been evinced in developing an alternate energy source. Much research has been focused on’ nuclear’ and ‘solar energy’.

Among alternate energy sources, nuclear fission is slowly replacing fossil fuels as a potential energy source of electric power. It generates enormous amount of energy but at the same time produces highly radioactive materials that must be stored carefully in fail-proof containers for centuries. For these and other reasons, the promise of cleaner, safer more economical and practically inexhaustible energy source though yet to be developed, controlled thermo nuclear fusion cannot be ignored.