The energy is already in the compounds Scuds. When the universe first formed it started out with the same amount of total energy we have now.

I'll give an easier example. When a tree uses its leaves to photosythesize, all sorts of compounds can be made... including wood (basically cellulose, paper is made out of it). We would call that growth. The tree dies. We take the wood and release all that energy trapped from the sun. Combustion. We burn the wood. We are basically releasing trapped energy from the sun when we burn wood. Now the question is, where did the sun get the energy... When the universe first formed from the big bang. Where did that energy come from? who the hell knows.
So all those different atoms that formed when the universe first formed have that energy already trapped in it. Some is released in nuclear reactions within stars (suns) and some is released in a myriad of other reactions.

Oh yes. When I say released, I mean the energy is converted to a diff. form. As far as we know, energy is conserved. None is gained, none is lost, it just changes form. Like the tree example. Sun--->chemical bonds(wood)--->heat and light upon burning... energy just changes forms