Energy as understood in the natural sciences (Science) means the capacity to perform work (Businesses). Motors (Technology) transform forms of energy in such a way that they can be used commercially in production processes (Factory) and to transport goods and convey information (Networks). Hydropower and steam power transformed into electrical energy are a vital force driving the industrial society. 

In the industrial age, electricity had a revolutionary influence on science and technology and also proved an inspirational concept within the world of art. Arthur Wilke’s Die Elektrizität, ihre Erzeugung und ihre Anwendung in Industrie und Gewerbe (Electricity, its Generation and its Use in Industry and Commerce), published in 1893, provided a richly illustrated introduction to the sciences for the general public. This volume, bound by the Spamer bindery in Leipzig, vividly depicts how man seeks to harness electric energy and become a master of elemental forces.