energètica

Energética is a multidisciplinary field that studies energy in all its forms and the processes by which it is produced, transformed, distributed, and consumed. It integrates physics, engineering, economics, and public policy to analyze how energy flows through systems and how those flows affect technology, markets, the environment, and society. In physics, energetics concerns energy conservation, conversion, and flow governed by thermodynamics; in engineering, it focuses on designing and optimizing energy systems such as power plants, grids, storage, and transportation. In economics and policy, it addresses energy markets, pricing, security, regulation, and sustainability objectives.

The scope of energética includes generation from fossil fuels, nuclear power, and renewable sources; transmission and distribution; energy efficiency and demand-side management; and energy storage. It also encompasses analytical methods such as energy system modeling, life cycle assessment, exergy analysis, and techno-economic optimization to improve efficiency and reduce environmental impact. The field emphasizes the integration of technologies and the coordination of actors across sectors to achieve reliable and affordable energy while minimizing climate and health risks.

Historically, energética emerged from thermodynamics and mechanical engineering and expanded with the electrification of societies, industrial growth, and later the rise of renewables and concerns about climate change. Its subfields span energy systems engineering, energy economics and policy, renewable energy integration, efficiency and management, environmental assessment, and grid modernization.

In practice, energética informs the design and operation of energy systems, guides policy and regulatory decisions, and supports strategic planning for decarbonization and sustainable development.