3 ms·
I assume the chart is only counting energy important for human economy (and not whatever it is that you're bringing up). Food as energy source was crucial part
by burntoutfire 5y ago
I assume the chart is only counting energy important for human economy (and not whatever it is that you're bringing up). Food as energy source was crucial part of the energy mix before fossil fuels - food-powered animals were tilling fields, hauling goods, powering machinery etc. (not to mention less savory aspects of it like slavery - slaves were essentially food-powered machines for picking cotton, harvesting sugar cane etc.). Nowadays majority of that work is done by machines powered by fossil fuels, and food is used mostly for us to sustain ourselves (i.e. prevent starvation) and not as an economically-productive resource.
I suspect food was the biggest energy source in the economy, above wood and renewables (i.e. watermills and windmills powering various machineries and pumps).