How electricity is generated

Electric power is the Potential result between two or more points with different electric loads. In this way an electric current is established between the same points through an electric conductor. Academically, electricity began to be studied until the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and it was not until the nineteenth century that this energy source began to be used for industrial and domestic activities.

To measure electricity we do it with electrical power units. The measures that we use most today are kilowatt per hour (kWh), Megavatio (MW), Milivatio (MW) or the microvatio (μW). For example, electricity and gas invoices indicating house consumption, do so according to the kilowatts spent per hour. Another fact is that Electricity is cumulativethat is, its chemical content can be stored and then use. This is what batteries or batteries do, for example.

If you have ever wondered how electricity is generated, in this section we clarify it to you. There are two different ways to produce electrical energy. On the one hand, we can talk about the electrical energy that is created in power plants. This is possible From other primary energies. That is, electricity is created from other energies such such as wind, thermal or hydraulics. Even so, the one we use most is mechanical energy. Another way to produce electricity is in small quantities with specialized devices.

Focusing on mechanical energy, so that electrical energy occurs the plants put into operation Turbines connected to generators. These turbines can be moved by the steam that is produced by water heating, nuclear reactions or by burning fossil fuels. In this way, the movement is transformed into electricity.

Here you can learn more about what wind energy is, how it works and examples or what is hydraulic energy and examples.

According to the primary energy source used to produce mechanical energy, a classification or another of the power plants can be made. From this distinction, we find 8 types of power plants where electricity occurs:

• Hydroelectric plants: Water from a natural or artificial current and, stored in reservoirs, is dropped from a great height. The slope and the impact of the water drop acts on the blades of a hydraulic turbine that puts it in motion.
• Conventional thermal plants: They are those that use fossil fuels such as coal, gas or fuel. These are burned in a boiler and so heat energy is generated that is used to obtain water vapor. This water vapor, at high pressure, will move the blades of a steam turbine.
• Combined cycle thermal plants: In these plants the thermal energy of natural gas is transformed into electricity thanks to a joint work of two turbines: one of gas and one of steam. First the combustion of natural gas occurs to move the gas turbine and then the residual heat of gases is used to produce steam and move a steam turbine.
• Nuclear centrals: A large amount of energy is obtained by the fission of uranium atoms, this energy is used to obtain water vapor, which will be used to move the turbine that thanks to the alternator will produce electricity.
• Wind centrals: Wind centrals take advantage of the wind. The kinetic energy of the wind moves the blades of a wind turbine that in turn operates a turbine that will convert this energy into electrical energy.
• Solar centrals: There are two types of solar plants, thermal thermos that with the heat of the sun heat water to generate steam that moves a turbine; or photovoltaic focus, which thanks to photovoltaic cells, directly transform solar energy into electrical energy. You can inform yourself more about what solar energy is here.
• Central Mareomotrices: These centrals take advantage of the ups and downs of the tides to act a turbine that will produce electricity through a generator. In Ecology Verde we show you more information about mareomotor energy: what it is and how it works.
• Biomass or urban waste centrals (RSU): They follow the same operation as a conventional thermal power plant with the only difference that the fuel used in the boiler comes from urban solid waste. If you would be interested in discovering more about biomass energy: advantages and disadvantages, click on the article.

Surely more than once you have wondered how electric power reaches your home once it has been generated. We bring you the answer to this doubt and we explain it to you step by step:

1. At the moment in which electricity is obtained, this is Directed by transmission lineshigh or underground route, from the centrals where electricity occurs to electrical substations.
2. Once in the Electrical substationsnormally located outdoors or in the peripheries of the cities but always close to the generating centrals, the voltage, frequency, the number of phases and connections of two or more circuits are properly transformed.
3. Once it is transformed, the energy is sent again by the Transmission lines to homes.
4. Thanks to the cables that are piped on the walls, soils or roofs of our houses we can receive electricity.

If you still want to know more about electricity, you may seem interesting this ecology article about what electricity and examples are.

If you want to read more articles similar to How electricity is generatedwe recommend that you enter our category of renewable energy.