Electricity Sources Used by Modern Buildings
Buildings consume over 70% of the US electricity supply, and
this is why energy efficiency measures have such a high potential to reduce the
environmental impact of modern cities. Traditionally, electricity has been
generated at power stations and then delivered to buildings using power lines
and transformers. However, modern generation technologies like photo voltaic
panels and natural gas micro turbines allow electricity production at the point
of use.
Energy Sources Used in Electricity Production
A basic principle of physics is that energy cannot be
created or destroyed, it simply changes form. Since electricity is a form of
energy, generation systems can only produce it by consuming another form. The
following are some of the most common energy sources:
Chemical energy in fossil fuels: Their combustion releases
heat, which can be used to drive a turbine and generator, producing
electricity.
Kinetic and potential energy in water: Water can be stored
in a reservoir, and then used to drive a turbine and generator. There are also
hydroelectric power plant designs that don’t use a reservoir, and instead they
extract energy from a river in motion. There are also experimental technologies
that produce electricity from waves or tides.
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Chemical energy in organic waste (biomass): Organic waste
can be processed into various types of bio-fuels. These can be used for turbines
just like fossil fuels.
Solar radiation: Photo voltaic panels can produce electricity
from the energy contained in sunlight. Unlike the previous examples, solar
panels don’t have moving parts and their maintenance is very simple.
Underground heat (geothermal): By drilling in a suitable
location, it is possible to drive a turbine and generator with underground
heat.
Nuclear energy: Atoms of radioactive elements such as
uranium and plutonium can be split to release large amounts of heat, which is
then used to power a steam turbine.
The price of electricity is strongly dependent on the
resource used to produce it. Also note that the availability of energy sources
changes by region, and electricity costs are increased if a resource must be
transported from remote locations.
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