Power Sources For Generation of Electricity
Most electricity is generated by thermal power stations or steam plants, the majority of which are fossil fuel power stations that burn coal, natural gas, fuel oil or bio-fuels, such as wood waste and black liquor from chemical pulping.
The most efficient thermal system is combined cycle in which a combustion turbine powers a generator using the high temperature combustion gases and then exhausts the cooler combustion gases to generate low pressure steam for conventional steam cycle generation.
- Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity uses a water turbine to generate power. Between 1880 and 1895, hydropower was beginning to be used for generating electricity; these first hydroelectric plants produced direct current (DC) used mostly to power nearby arc and incandescent lighting.
- Wind turbines
Advances in recent decades greatly lowered the cost of wind power making it one of the most competitive alternate energies and competitive with higher priced natural gas (before shale gas). Wind energy's main problem is that it is too intermittent and there is no practical storage infrastructure.
- Geothermal
Geothermal requires very hot underground temperatures near the surface to generate steam which is used in a low temperature steam plant. Geothermal power is only used in a few areas. Italy supplies all of the electrified rail network with geothermal power.
- Diesel-electric transmission
Read more about this topic: Electrification
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