How Electricity Is Generated?

Nature provides us natural resources to generate electricity like natural gas, coal, ocean tides, mountain waves and sunlight. Some of this resources are finite including fossil fuels like coals, natural gas etc. But others are unlimited like solar or wind power. There are some significant processes to turn the resources into usable electricity. Everyday researchers work to find innovative ways to use our limited resources.

Thermal power: Thermal power is widely used in the modern world to generate electricity. Fuels like coal, natural gas, biomass and uranium are used to heat water until it produces steam which runs turbines and generate electricity. Steam spins turbine blades and turbines are connected to a shaft which spins magnet with a coal inside the generator. It’s a generator which turns mechanical energy into electric energy. Steam is an efficient method of producing electricity because the water can be recycled and reused as it changes back into pure water.

Solar system: Solar system uses sunlight to produce electricity. Photon rays hit solar panel cells with energy and this energy dislocates electrons from solar cells. The electrons travel around and run through a specific way to fulfill a circuit. This is the simple way that solar panels follow to produce electricity. Although it produces a small amount of electricity but it doesn’t require any raw materials and also it is unlimited.

Wind turbines: Wind turbines work as the opposite of a cooling fan. It uses wind power to produce electricity. Wind turbines usually have three blades which are connected with a shaft. Wind power rotates the blades and the blades spin the shaft. The shaft is connected to a generator and it produces electricity.

Ocean tides: Producing electricity using water waves or tides is quite similar to the wind turbine system. The kinetic energy of the water waves or sea tides makes the turbine blades rotate and produce electricity. Waterfalls are widely used to produce water in this process.

Working method of Generators:

 Michael Faraday invented the electromagnetic induction of generators.  Generators produce electricity using electromagnets. They transform kinetic energy into electric energy. Generator has a series of insulated coils of wire. There is an electromagnetic shaft surrounded by cylinder of wires. As the electromagnetic shaft rotates, it induces a small electric current in each section of the wire coil. The wire coil rotates in a magnetic field. The rotation creates a voltage difference between the two ends of the wire coil. This makes the electric charges flow. Flowing of the electric charge generates electricity. Every small fractions of electricity from wire coils combine a large current. And then we are able to use the current. Almost every electricity resources use generator to produce electricity.

Distribution of electricity: Transporting electricity from the power plant to home is an entirely different process. Current technology cannot store large amount of electricity. So, significant challenges come while transferring electricity across long distances. That’s why a complex mix of management and infrustructers needed to transfer electricity to consumers through the electricity grid, often known as 'the grid'. The grid lines carry electrical energy at high voltage within their area to local utilities. There are very limited links between the grids. So, electricity cannot travel much far. For electricity to move far away the voltage must be increased by a device called transformer.  Then the electricity can travel long distances through high voltage transmission line. These high voltage lines are generally strong between giant metal towers. There are sub stations alongside the roads. There job is stepping down electric voltages from level as high as 765000 volts close to 110 volts to use in the local utilities. The electricity from the power line on the street passes through another transformer which steps down the voltage once more and then it travels along the line into the house. From there the electricity enters the main switch board. Then it is distributed into the sockets. Thus we get electricity turning the switches.