How electricity is produced

Electrical energy was one of man's greatest discoveries. It has helped make our civilization possible.

The majority of electricity produced has its source in fossil fuels, nuclear fission, water, and wind. This article will explore the different methods of electricity production.

Essentially, electricity is produced by enormous turbines. These turbines must be turned to create energy. There are various ways of moving these turbines:

By burning fossil fuels: Electricity is produced when the blades of a turbine are moved by enormous amounts of steam. This water vapor is generated by heating a lot of water in huge furnaces. The water is heated by burning fossil fuels like coal, petroleum, and natural gas. This method releases enormous amounts of carbon dioxide into the air, thus severely polluting our atmosphere. It is important to move to alternative methods of electricity production for our long-term benefit.

By water: Hydro-electric dams are constructed to produce electricity. A popular method to produce electricity, a water dams serves two purposes: restricting water bodies and producing electricity. Water dams use the river water to move turbines, helping them produce electricity. Electricity generated this way helps control air pollution; however, this method of electricity production adversely affects the ecosystem in the water bodies.

Water, via dams and rivers, accounts for about 90 percent of the world's electricity generated through renewable resources.

By wind: Electricity is produced when wind energy is converted to electrical energy. Windmills or wind turbines are used to harness enormous amounts of wind energy which is then converted into electrical energy.

By nuclear fission: Yes, nuclear fission not only makes atom bombs, but also helps produce electricity. Nuclear fission causes a chain reaction when the element Uranium is bombarded by neutrons, causing it to split. Every time a Uranium nucleus is split, more neutrons are released, causing more splits in the already split Uranium nuclei. The resultant chain reaction generates a lot of heat which is used to heat water, the vapor of which then turns huges turbines to create electricity.

By bio-waste: With technological advancements, electricity is also being produced by bio-waste. Bio-gas is a typical way of generating electricity in rural areas in countries like India. In fact, a new technology was developed in the Indian state of Bihar which uses human waste to generate electricity.

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