Where does the electricity? Sources of electricity

Modern Life is organized in such a way that its provision of infrastructure involves multiple components with different techno-functional properties. Such is the electricity. The average consumer sees or feels as it performs its tasks, but the end result is quite noticeable in the household appliances and not only. Thus, the question concerning the origin of the electricity, in the view of many users of the same household appliances remain unsolved. To increase knowledge in this area should start with the concept of power as such.

What electricity?

The complexity of the concepts is understandable, since energy can not be described as a conventional object or phenomenon, accessible to the visual perception. There are two approaches to answering the question of what electricity is. Definition of scientists says that electricity is the flow of charged particles, which is characterized by directional movement. As a rule, particles are the electrons.

In itself, the energy sector often consider electricity as a product produced by the substations. From this point of view have value and elements that are directly involved in the process of formation and current transfer. That is, in this case an energy field created around the conductor or other charged body. To bring this understanding to the real energy monitoring, you should understand with this question: where does the electricity? There are different technical means of generating current, and they are all one problem — supply of consumers. However, until users will be able to provide their instruments with energy, it must go through several stages.

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Electricity

To date, the energy sector used about 10 types of stations, which provide generation of electricity. It is a process, which converts certain types of energy in the current charge. In other words, electricity is formed during processing of other energy. In particular, specialized substations is used as the main working resource of thermal, wind, tidal, geothermal and other forms of energy. Answering the question about where the electricity comes, it is worth noting infrastructure, which is provided with each substation. Any generator provided with a complex system of functional units and networks, which allow to accumulate the generated energy and to prepare it for further transmission to the nodes of the distribution.

Traditional power plants

Although in recent years the trends in the energy sector are changing rapidly, it is possible to identify the main types of power plants based on classical principles. First and foremost are objects of thermal generation. Developing resource produced in the combustion of fossil fuels and the subsequent transformation of generated heat. There are different types of such power stations, including cogeneration and condensing. The main difference between them is the possibility of the objects of the second type generate heat and streams. That is, when the answer to the question about where your electricity comes, we can note and stations that simultaneously produce other types of energy. In addition to thermal generation facilities, are quite common hydro - and nuclear power plants. In the first case it is assumed the conversion of energy from movement of water, and the second — as a result of fission of atoms in special reactors.

Alternative energy sources

This category of energy sources is considered as the sun's rays, wind, land, subsoil, etc. Especially distributed generation, focused on the accumulation and conversion to electricity of solar energy. Such installations are attractive because they can be used by any consumer in the volumes required to supply his house. However, the wide spread of such generators prevents the high cost of equipment, and nuances in operation, due to the dependence of the working solar cells of the light intensity.

At the level of major energy companies are actively developing wind alternative sources of electricity. Today a number of countries used the program of gradual transition to this type of power supply. However, in this direction has its constraints imposed by low-power generators at a high cost. A relatively new alternative source of energy is the natural heat of the Earth. In this case, stations convert the heat energy obtained from underground channels.

Power Distribution

After power generation begins its transmission and distribution provided by utility companies. Suppliers of a resource can be arrangedappropriate infrastructure, which is based on electric network. There are two types of channels, which implements the transmission of electricity, — aerial and underground cable lines. Data networks are the ultimate source of and the answer to the question, where does the electricity for different needs of users. Supply agencies lay special tracks for network distribution, using different types of cables.

Consumers power

Electricity required for a variety of tasks in the household sector and the industrial sector. A classic example of the use of this energy carrier is the lighting. Nowadays, however, electricity in the house is to ensure the operation of a wider range of instruments and equipment. And this is only a small part of the needs of society in energy supply.

This resource is also required to maintain the transport infrastructure to service the lines, trolleybuses, trams and metro, etc. we should also mention the industrial enterprise. Factories, mills and processing complexes often requires a huge capacity. You can say it is the largest consumer of electricity, using this resource to ensure the operation of technological equipment and local infrastructure.

Control generation facilities

In Addition to transmission facilities, which technically provides the ability to transmit and distribute power to final consumers, this is impossible without complex control systems. To implement these tasks, the providers to use operations control centers, which implement the centralized control and management of the work entrusted to them power plants. In particular, such services controlling the parameters of the networks that connect electricity consumers at different levels. We should also mention the departments and units who perform maintenance of the networks, preventing deterioration and restoring damaged portions of the lines.

Conclusion

For all time of existence of the energy industry has undergone several stages of development. Recently, there are new changes, due to active development of alternative energy sources. The successful development of these areas today gives you the opportunity to use electricity in the house, obtained from the individual household generators independently from the main networks. However, these industries have some difficulties. First and foremost they relate to the financial costs for the purchase and installation of appropriate equipment — the same solar panels with batteries. But since the energy produced by alternative sources is completely free, the prospects for further advancement of these areas remain relevant for different categories of consumers.