CHEVRON has created an online game with the Economist Group which challenges players to power an imaginary city using various energy sources.

The energy company, which owns the Caltex oil chain, says Energyville is 'an engaging educational online game that aims to develop energy literacy'.

Energyville - also the name of the online city - is based on an average-size industrialised city with a population of 3.9 million people. Players choose between eight currently prevalent energy sources - biomass, coal, hydro, gas, nuclear, petroleum, solar and wind - to power the city from the present day until 2015.

From 2015 to 2030, two more energy sources are added to the portfolio - oil shale and hydrogen. Various facts and information about the different energy sources are also available at each stage as the players negotiate real-life scenarios and make their decisions on how to power Energyville.

'If you were tasked to manage the energy supply for a city the size of Singapore, how would you power it?' asks Chevron's public affairs manager Diana Lee. 'What this free online interactive game does is it challenges players to find what it takes to power a city and at the same time, learn about the economic and environmental opportunities, and trade-offs associated with different energy sources.'

The game is hosted on www.willyoujoinus.com, an energy discussion forum developed by Chevron.

'There is no silver bullet solution to our energy needs,' says Ms Lee. 'Players will be challenged to make tough choices necessary to meet the needs of a growing city.'

She adds that the game is interactive and players can get their friend to join in and post their energy management scores on the website.

Chevron says the game is based on real life data sourced from 100 organisations, including the Economist Intelligence Unit, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and the International Energy Agency, among others.

'Hence, the issues the players encounter in the game are real issues we are facing today,' says Ms Lee.

Explanations about each of the eight energy sources are accompanied by their economic, environmental and security impact. These 'impact meters' let you monitor how energy decisions affect the city's economic costs, environment and overall security.

For example, the panel on nuclear power states that interest in it is spurred by high fossil fuel prices. But the challenge is that it is viewed as risky because accidents - though rare - can have adverse effects on the health and safety of communities if they occur.

As you drag and drop energy sources into Energyville until your city reaches full power, buildings light up and more and more vehicles begin moving about.

Once it is fully powered through 2015, a range of energy conservation and efficiency options is offered. Depending on which one is chosen and the level of investment needed, your city will face several challenges, for example, a tighter oil supply because of terrorist attack or more costly solar panels.

After that, you continue to the next level - to power the city until 2030. Here, two energy options not available at the previous level are hydrogen power and oil shale. The former is close to Chevron' corporate heart, while the latter is a sedimentary rock that produces petroleum when heated but the challenge is that its production is energy intensive.

'Chevron is one of the largest renewable energy producers of any oil and gas major,' explains Ms Lee, adding that the company is the largest geothermal energy producer in the world, while also focusing on developing hydrogen, biofuels and solar energy.

She says: 'Chevron is planning to invest US$2.5 billion on renewable, alternative energy and energy efficiency between 2007 and 2009.'

At the end of the Energyville game, a player's energy management score reveals the economic, environmental and security impact. This can be low, medium or high and comes with a detailed explanation on how you made your energy choices and how events like terrorism and technology have affected your score.