- What is the generation of electrical energy?
- How is electrical energy produced?
- Stages of the electricity sector
- Types of electricity generation
- Renewable energy
We explain what electrical power generation is, its types and how it is produced. In addition, stages of the electricity sector.
What is the generation of electrical energy?
The generation of electric power encompasses the set of processes different through which it can be produced electricity, or what is the same, transform other forms of Energy available in the nature (chemical energy, kinetics, thermal, light, nuclear, etc.) in usable electrical energy.
The ability to produce electricity is one of the main concerns of the humanity contemporary, since its consumption It has become widespread and normalized since its discovery in the 19th century, to the point of becoming indispensable in our daily lives. Our homes, industriesPublic lighting, even our personal appliances, depend on a constant and stable supply of electrical power.
Thus, world energy consumption is on the rise. While in 1900 global energy consumption was only 0.7 Terawatts (0.7 x 1012 W), already in 2005 it was estimated at about 500 Exajoules (5 x 1020 J), equivalent to 138,900 Terawatts.
The industrial sector is the largest consumer of all, and therefore the developed world (the so-called First World) is responsible for the highest percentages of consumption. The United States, for example, consumes 25% of the energy generated worldwide.
Therefore, the search for new and more efficient ways to obtain it is an area in which enormous scientific and technological resources are invested, especially at a time when the climatic effects of the industrialization and from burning fossil fuels it has become not only obvious, but alarming.
How is electrical energy produced?
Electricity, in general, is produced in large facilities called power plants or power plants, which, taking advantage of different types of raw material or natural processes "manufacture" electricity.
For this, most of the power plants have alternators, which are large devices that generate alternating current. They are made up of a coil, which is a large, rotating roll of material electrical conductor arranged in threads, and a magnet which remains fixed.
By rotating the coil inside the magnet at high speeds, a phenomenon called electromagnetic induction occurs: the magnetic field The result mobilizes the electrons of the conductive material, creating a flow of energy that must then be "prepared" for distribution through a series of transformers.
The issue, then, is how to make the coil rotate at high speeds and steadily. In experiments carried out in the 19th century with electricity, it was generated by pedaling a bicycle, which produced only a tiny amount, of course.
In the case of power plants, something much more sophisticated is required: a turbine, which is a rotating device capable of transmitting mechanical energy to the coil, making it rotate, from the use of another force.
For example, you can use the falling water in a waterfall, or the constant blowing of the wind, or in most cases, the steam ascending quantity of a good quantity of boiling water, for which it is necessary in turn to generate a constant quantity of heat, by means of the combustion of various types of materials.
As will be seen, the complete process of generating electrical energy is nothing more than the transformation of chemical energy into caloric energy (combustion), to later convert it into kinetic and mechanical (by mobilizing the turbine), and later into electromagnetic, that is, , in electricity.
Stages of the electricity sector
The electricity sector is one that is responsible for the entire circuit of electricity production, from its inception to its consumption in each of our homes, for example. The entire energy production cycle in this sector involves the following stages:
- Generation. The first stage, logically, consists of obtaining electricity through the available means, in any of the types of power plant that exist.
- Transformation. Once electricity is obtained, it is usually subjected to a transformation process that prepares it for transport along a power grid, since electricity, unlike other products and goods, cannot be stored for consumption later, but must be transmitted immediately.
The so-called substations or transformer plants, located in the vicinity of the power plants, and also the transformation centers, close to the power plants, are responsible for this. populations consumers, since its mission is to modulate electrical voltage to make electricity transportable (high voltage) and consumable (low voltage).
- Distribution. Electricity must finally be supplied to our homes or to the industries that consume it through a wiring network known as power lines, which is usually handled by different energy distribution and marketing companies.
- Consumption. Finally, each consumer household or industrial plant has a link installation, which links the distribution networks with the indoor facilities, allowing energy to be present wherever we need it.
Types of electricity generation
Electricity generation is classified, normally, by the type of power plant in which it is produced, or what is the same, according to what specific procedure is used to, as we explained before, mobilize the turbine to rotate the coil that in turn. time generates electricity. Thus, we have:
- Thermoelectric energy fossil fuels. Thermoelectric plants are those that produce electricity from heat energy, boiling large amounts of water, or similarly heating other gases, thanks to the combustion of various materials organic (Coal, Petroleum, natural gas or other fossil fuels) in an internal boiler. In these cases, the expanding gas is responsible for moving the turbine, and then it is cooled to be able to repeat the cycle.
- Thermonuclear energy. The principle of operation of thermonuclear energy is not different from that of thermoelectric, with the exception that the heat necessary to rotate the turbines is obtained through various chemical processes fission of atoms heavy, that is, bombarding the atomic nuclei of certain elements, to force them to become other lighter elements and release an immense amount of energy. In these plants, known as reactors, the same logic of the atomic bomb, but applied for peaceful purposes. The disadvantage is that it produces radioactive waste that is difficult to handle and is highly toxic.
- Geothermal energy. Again, in this case the operation of the power plant obeys the thermoelectric model, but without the need for fuels or boilers, since the internal heat of the power plant is used. Earth crust. For this, a suitable tectonic location is required, that is, an area with tectonic activity that allows water to be poured into the depths of the earth and take advantage of the resulting steam to mobilize the electric turbines.
- Solar thermal energy. Similar to the previous cases, this type of power plants take advantage of the sunlight, focusing and concentrating it by means of a complex system of mirrors, in order to heat liquids at temperatures between 300 and 1000 ° C, and thus start the thermoelectric generation process.
- Photovoltaic energy. This type of energy is also obtained by taking advantage of sunlight, but in a different sense: by means of large fields of photovoltaic cells, made up of diodes sensitive to sunlight, which generate small potential differentials at their ends. Large sites are required for these solar panels to generate electricity, but at the same time it is done without requiring raw materials and without to pollute too much the environment.
- Hydroelectric power. In this case, the electric turbines of the generation plant are not moved by the action of heat, but by taking advantage of the mechanical energy of a waterfall. For that reason, a topography specific for this, such as cataracts, waterfalls, mighty rivers or bodies of water in which dams can be implanted or dams. Beyond the brutal modification of these bodies of water and their ecosystems own, it is a form of clean energy, cheap and safe.
- Seawater energy or wave power. This is the name given to the plants for obtaining electrical energy from the tides or sea waves, through coastal facilities that, through floating devices, take advantage of the push of the water to mobilize the turbines. However, they are not very powerful and not very profitable ways of obtaining energy, at least for the moment.
- Wind power. If in the previous cases the natural movement of water was taken advantage of, in wind power plants the force of the wind is taken advantage of, especially in regions in that it blows constantly, like the coastal zones, the great plains, or the like. For this, they have entire fields of giant propellers, sensitive to the passage of the wind, which when moving transmit mechanical energy to an electric turbine. It is a relatively inexpensive and safe form of electricity production, but unfortunately very little powerful and with a significant cost in terms of landscaping.
Renewable energy
Obtaining electricity is a complex and highly demanding process environmental impact, especially in its traditional variants, such as fossil fuel. In addition, in the latter cases, the available fuel has limited reserves, since coal and oil have a very slow and prolonged geological origin, which does not allow us to replenish planetary stocks at the same rate at which we are consuming them.
For this reason, many of the efforts of the energy sector are invested in the search for possible renewable sources, or in the improvement of those that already exist, such as solar, hydroelectric and geothermal energy.
However, the great hopes of humanity in energy matters point to the possibility of atomic fusion as a safe, reliable, non-polluting and renewable source of energy: hydrogen atoms are taken, the most abundant element in the world. universe, and merge to generate enormous amounts of energy, just as it happens in the heart of the stars in the space.
Unfortunately, bliss technology it is still far from our reach, so humanity will have to make greater efforts to adapt its energy consumption to the possibilities of the world, or run the risk of completely ruining it in our desire for infinite electrical energy.