Energy is the lifeline of modern society and has shaped the world from the end of the 19th century. Modern life, as we know it requires energy. The supply of most fossil source of energy (coal, oil) is finite and declining because of ever increasing demand. Patterns of demand and supply of energy have been changing: while consumption in some countries has declined, industrial development of countries of the third world and the eastern block (previously thought politically impossible) has begun to result in an ever increasing demand for energy and thus, raw material in these countries. So has the rise in global population. Shifts in supply of and demand for energy will force the establishment of new supply structures for fossil energy and electric power. At the same time environmental price for the use of fossil fuels and its impact on climate are beginning to be recognized and understood.

The contributions to this 7th international symposium on raw materials entitled Energy - A changing scene address and comment new developments, focussing on future energy consumption, diversification of energy sources, impact of renewable sources of energy, deep natural gas, nuclear power, and geothermal energy. Papers also address the role of coal deposits as a source of secondary gas, european research on future sources of energy and the role of the countries of the former USSR as suppliers of hydrocarbons.
The contributions should be of interest to anybody interested in energy management, economy and earth resources.