[Duende]

Lately I have come across two theories which have significantly influenced my outlook on civilization's relationship with its energy resources. To my mind, they seem to suggest that civilization may not have a choice but to use all of the energy made available to it. The two theories are the Constructal theory and the Maximum Power Principle.

Briefly defined:

Maximum Power Principle: Systems organize themselves to maximize the rate of transformation of available energy (to operate at the peak of the power efficiency curve).

Constructal theory: “For a finite-size flow system to persist it must morph in time such that it provides easier access to the currents that flow through it.”

Two questions come out of this:
1. Is Constructal theory a restatement of the Maximum Power Principle?
2. Do these theories accurately describe the situation civilization is in regarding energy use? In other words: Is civilization in a sense required to use all of the energy resources made available to it? If so, has anyone published any work on the subject?

I would like many responses to my questions, but I'm specifically looking for comments from those who may be intimately familiar with either (or both) of these theories.

You can read more about the MPP here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximum_power_principle.

And more about Constructal Theory here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constructal_theory