The creation of energy scenarios, usually describing future situations of interest, involves three steps: (1) Determining the activities in the target society that involves energy of one or another form. Examples of carrying out such an analysis are presented, with end-use demands distributed on energy forms (qualities) as the deliverable outcome. (2) Determining the available energy resources in the society in question. This is done for renewable energy resources and presented as potential energy supply, with a discussion of the aggressivity of exploiting such sources. Finally (3) Matching demand and supply under consideration of the energy forms needed, with the use of intermediate conversions, storage and transmission and signalling unused surpluses that may be exported from the society in consideration, or deficits that have to be imported. An example of such a matching is presented in an accompanying article. Copyright (C) 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.