能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)源(yuan)是能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)够提供(gong)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)量的(de)(de)资(zi)源(yuan)。这里的(de)(de)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)量通常指热(re)(re)(re)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)、电能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)、光(guang)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)、机械能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)、化学能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)等(deng)(deng)(deng)(deng)(deng)。能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)源(yuan)按来源(yuan)可分为(wei)三(san)大类： (1) 来自太(tai)阳(yang)(yang)(yang)的(de)(de)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)量。包括直接(jie)来自太(tai)阳(yang)(yang)(yang)的(de)(de)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)量 (如(ru)太(tai)阳(yang)(yang)(yang)光(guang)热(re)(re)(re)辐射能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)) 和(he)(he)间接(jie)来自太(tai)阳(yang)(yang)(yang)的(de)(de)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)量 (如(ru)煤(mei)炭、石(shi)油、天然气、油页岩等(deng)(deng)(deng)(deng)(deng)可燃矿物及薪(xin)材等(deng)(deng)(deng)(deng)(deng)生(sheng)物质能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)、水能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)和(he)(he)风能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)等(deng)(deng)(deng)(deng)(deng))。(2) 来自地(di)(di)球(qiu)本(ben)身(shen)的(de)(de)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)量。一种是地(di)(di)球(qiu)内部蕴藏的(de)(de)地(di)(di)热(re)(re)(re)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)，如(ru)地(di)(di)下热(re)(re)(re)水、地(di)(di)下蒸汽、干热(re)(re)(re)岩体；另一种是地(di)(di)壳内铀、钍等(deng)(deng)(deng)(deng)(deng)核(he)燃料所蕴藏的(de)(de)原(yuan)子核(he)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)。(3) 月球(qiu)和(he)(he)太(tai)阳(yang)(yang)(yang)等(deng)(deng)(deng)(deng)(deng)天体对地(di)(di)球(qiu)的(de)(de)引力产生(sheng)的(de)(de)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)量，如(ru)潮汐(xi)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)。 

“能(neng)源(yuan)”这一术语(yu)，过去人(ren)们谈(tan)论得很少，正是两(liang)次石油(you)危机(ji)使它成了人(ren)们议论的(de)(de)热点。在全(quan)(quan)球经济(ji)高速发展的(de)(de)今天，国(guo)际能(neng)源(yuan)安全(quan)(quan)已(yi)上(shang)升到了国(guo)家的(de)(de)高度，各国(guo)都制定了以能(neng)源(yuan)供应(ying)安全(quan)(quan)为(wei)核心的(de)(de)能(neng)源(yuan)政策。

那么，究竟什么是“能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)”呢？关于能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)的(de)定义(yi)，约有(you)20种(zhong)。例如：说(shuo)：“能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)是可(ke)从其获得热、光(guang)和动力(li)之类(lei)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)量(liang)(liang)的(de)资源(yuan)(yuan)”；《大英(ying)百科(ke)(ke)全书(shu)》说(shuo)：“能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)是一个(ge)包(bao)括着所(suo)有(you)燃料、流水(shui)、阳光(guang)和风的(de)术语，人类(lei)用(yong)适(shi)当的(de)转换手段便(bian)可(ke)让(rang)它(ta)为(wei)自己提(ti)供所(suo)需(xu)的(de)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)量(liang)(liang)”；《日本大百科(ke)(ke)全书(shu)》说(shuo)：“在(zai)各种(zhong)生产活动中，我(wo)们利用(yong)热能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)、机械(xie)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)、光(guang)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)、电能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)等来(lai)作(zuo)功，可(ke)利用(yong)来(lai)作(zuo)为(wei)这(zhei)些能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)量(liang)(liang)源(yuan)(yuan)泉的(de)自然(ran)界中的(de)各种(zhong)载(zai)体(ti)，称为(wei)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)”；我(wo)国的(de)《能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)百科(ke)(ke)全书(shu)》说(shuo)：“能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)是可(ke)以直(zhi)接或经转换提(ti)供人类(lei)所(suo)需(xu)的(de)光(guang)、热、动力(li)等任一形式能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)量(liang)(liang)的(de)载(zai)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)体(ti)资源(yuan)(yuan)。”可(ke)见，能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)是一种(zhong)呈多种(zhong)形式的(de)，且(qie)可(ke)以相互转换的(de)能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)量(liang)(liang)的(de)源(yuan)(yuan)泉。确切而简单地说(shuo)，能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)源(yuan)(yuan)是自然(ran)界中能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)为(wei)人类(lei)提(ti)供某种(zhong)形式能(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)(neng)量(liang)(liang)的(de)物质资源(yuan)(yuan)。

能(neng)(neng)源(yuan)亦(yi)称能(neng)(neng)量资源(yuan)或能(neng)(neng)源(yuan)资源(yuan)。是指可(ke)产生各种(zhong)(zhong)能(neng)(neng)量（如热(re)(re)量、电能(neng)(neng)、光(guang)能(neng)(neng)和(he)(he)机械能(neng)(neng)等(deng)）或可(ke)作功的物质的统称。是指能(neng)(neng)够直接取得或者(zhe)通(tong)过加工、转(zhuan)换(huan)而取得有用能(neng)(neng)的各种(zhong)(zhong)资源(yuan)，包括煤炭、原油、天(tian)然气、煤层气、水能(neng)(neng)、核能(neng)(neng)、风(feng)能(neng)(neng)、太阳能(neng)(neng)、地(di)热(re)(re)能(neng)(neng)、生物质能(neng)(neng)等(deng)一(yi)次能(neng)(neng)源(yuan)和(he)(he)电力、热(re)(re)力、成(cheng)品油等(deng)二次能(neng)(neng)源(yuan)，以及其他新能(neng)(neng)源(yuan)和(he)(he)可(ke)再(zai)生能(neng)(neng)源(yuan)。

能(neng)(neng)(neng)源（Energy Source ）亦称能(neng)(neng)(neng)量(liang)资(zi)(zi)源或能(neng)(neng)(neng)源资(zi)(zi)源，是(shi)国民经济的重(zhong)要(yao)物质基础，未来国家(jia)命(ming)运取决(jue)于能(neng)(neng)(neng)源的掌控。能(neng)(neng)(neng)源的开发和有效(xiao)利用程度以及人(ren)均消费量(liang)是(shi)生(sheng)产技术和生(sheng)活水(shui)平的重(zhong)要(yao)标志(zhi)。