Electricity - A Visual Primer

ELECTRICITY
A Visual Primer

We use electricity in countless ways throughout the day.

Most of us enjoy reliable electrical service, enough to satisfy our wants and needs. It is only when our service is interrupted are we reminded of the importance electricity plays in every facet of our daily lives.

So where does all this electricity come from?
First, let’s take a look at how electricity is generated.

Let’s start by defining energy:
Energy is “the ability to do work”.

There are many forms of energy:
Energy can be transformed into another type of energy, but it cannot be created or destroyed.

The generation of electricity involves transforming mechanical energy into electrical energy, and at the center of virtually all power generation methods is the turbine.

When the blades on the shaft of a turbine are rotated, the generator produces electricity through a process called magnetic induction.
Click here to learn more about magnetic induction.

The main difference between the main commercial electrical generation methods is the source of energy that is used to turn the blades of the turbine.

Coal, most natural gas, nuclear, geothermal and parabolic-trough solar installations use heat to create steam to turn the blades.
Click here to learn more about steam turbines.

In the United States, the source most often used to create that heat is coal.

The electrical power industry is also the largest producer of carbon dioxide emissions in the United States.

In the Eastern part of the country, most power plants use coal. The majority of the nation’s nuclear power generation is likewise located in the eastern half of the country. Most hydropower resources are in the Pacific Northwest, while most wind, solar, and geothermal resources are located in the West.

Let’s take a look individually at each of these methods for generating electricity.

COAL
Nearly half of the electricity in the United States is produced by burning coal.
Kingston Fossil Plant, Tennessee

Coal is first pulverized into a fine powder and then moved to a furnace where it is burned in a boiler to create the steam that moves the turbine.

A ‘base load’ is the minimum amount a power company must be generating to meet its customer’s minimum demands. Coal plants are most often ‘base load’ plants and are typically operated continuously, except for repairs or maintenance.
Bull Run Fossil Plant, Tennessee

America’s coal reserves are vast; it is estimated that the U.S. has at least 200 years left of available coal reserves, more than enough to use domestically and enough to export, too.
Learn more about coal by clicking here.

Coal barge in the Louisville and Portland Canal, Ohio River
Coal is most often shipped to power plants by barge or by railroad. The cost of transporting coal is oftentimes more expensive than the mining process.

Coal trains delivering to power plants can be over a mile long and carry 10,000 tons, enough to power a large plant for a day. During periods of seasonal high demand, a power plant may receive as many as 3 to 5 trains per day.
Union Pacific coal train in Douglas, Wyoming

Coal powered plant near Price, Utah
Photo by arbyreed (flickr).
Burning coal produces carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides, particulates and mercury.

Photo by Nick Humphries
Modern day ‘scrubbers’ and other “clean coal” technologies have reduced these emissions, but coal-fired power plants still release significant emissions into the environment, accounting for 40% of the nation’s carbon dioxide emissions (2008).

Some by-products can be reused in a variety of products, such as cement or concrete, while the remainder must be isolated and stored. Coal ash disposal is a serious environmental concern.

In December of 2008, 1 billion gallons of coal ash was spilled from the Tennessee Valley Authority’s Kingston Fossil Plant, covering 300 acres and destroying homes, poisoning rivers, and contaminating drinking water.

Wyoming produces the most coal in the United States, whereas Texas consumes the most coal and also the most electricity in the nation.

Since America’s coal reserves are so abundant, it is our nation’s cheapest source of fuel for electricity production, costing less than a third of the cost of other fossil fuels.

Coal utilizes the nation’s existing fuel and transportation infrastructure, which allows power plants to be sited where needed.

Cumberland Power Plant, Tennessee
However, the combustion of coal contributes to acid rain and air pollution, and emissions from burning coal have been connected with climate change. Proper disposal of the byproducts is a problem.

Nonetheless, the world’s demand for electricity is expected to rise 60% by 2030, and the International Energy Agency estimates that 85% of this demand will be met by fossil fuels, much of that most likely to be coal.

THE PROS & CONS OF COAL
PRO:
America has abundant coal reserves.
It is inexpensive.
America’s existing infrastructure is set up for it.
CON:
It is highly polluting.
Even with clean coal technologies, there are significant environmental impacts.
There are also significant impacts from the extraction of coal.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON COAL:
Department of Energy, Clean Coal Technology & The Clean Coal Power Initiative: http://www.fossil.energy.gov/programs/powersystems/cleancoal/
U.S. Department of Energy Information: Coal, Explained: http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=coal_home
American Coal Association (pro-coal): http://www.teachcoal.org/aboutcoal/index.html
America’s Power (pro-coal); http://www.americaspower.org/
Coal is Clean/Coal is Dirty (anti-coal): http://www.coalisclean.com/#
Sierra Club: Beyond Coal (anti-coal): http://www.sierraclub.org/coal/

NATURAL GAS
New Pacific Corp. gas fired plant, Lindon, Utah
Photo by arbyreed
As an alternative to using coal, some plants burn natural gas. Most new power plants being constructed use natural gas.

Natural gas is composed mainly of methane, and can be found in oil fields, coal beds, or by itself.

Natural gas must be processed before it can be transported and used. Gathering pipelines transport the gas from the wellhead to a processing plant, where impurities are removed to make pipeline-quality natural gas.

Natural gas is then transported through high-pressure pipelines to where it is needed.

An extensive pipeline network delivers natural gas around the country.

Natural gas is stored in depleted reservoirs, salt domes, or in storage tanks as Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).

Some natural gas plants burn the gas to run a steam turbine. Other plants use gas turbines and combustion engines instead. These turbines can be used to meet peak-load demands because they can be quickly powered on and off.

A combined-cycle power plant has both a gas turbine and a steam unit. The waste heat from the gas turbine is used to generate steam for the steam turbine.

Photo by Scott J. Lowe
Natural gas has many uses, including as a heat source for cooking, hot water and home heating, and has potential as an alternative fuel for powering cars.

LS Energy, Morro Bay
Photo by Mike Baird
Natural gas is the cleanest burning of all fossil fuels, producing 45% less carbon dioxide than coal, less nitrogen oxides, negligible amounts of sulfur dioxide and mercury, and virtually no particulate matter.

Natural gas plants do not produce any substantial solid waste.

Woodsdale Station, Butler County, Ohio
Photo by Duke Energy
However, the processing, storage, and transport of natural gas makes it a relatively more expensive fuel.

Haynes Steam Plant, Seal Beach, CA
Photo by Mollivan Jon
Knowledge about America’s natural gas reserves is imprecise, but a recent report estimated reserves at a 100 year supply, much less than coal.

A new process called ‘hydraulic fracturing’ has the potential to utilize unconventional natural gas resources. Hydraulic fracturing (fracking) involves injecting fluid into the rock to fracture it, allowing the gas underneath to escape.
Photo by Ari Moore.

As much as half of the water can return to the surface, risking extensive contamination of drinking water sources and the environment. There is great concern for environmental impacts of this type of natural gas drilling.

More research is needed to determine how much natural gas can be extracted, and the quality of unconventional natural gas resources is uncertain. In addition, research is needed to reduce the environmental impacts of some extraction methods.

THE PROS & CONS OF NATURAL GAS
PRO:
Natural gas is the cleanest burning of all the fossil fuels.
It is an abundant source of domestic energy.
New techniques have emerged that have increased America’s potential natural gas reserves.
CON:
Natural gas does emit carbon and nitrogen oxides, but in much smaller amounts.
It is non-renewable.
Environmental impacts from some types of natural gas mining are significant.
It is more costly to process, transport and store.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON
NATURAL GAS:
U.S. Energy Information Administration: Natural Gas Explained: http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=natural_gas_home
U. S. Department of Energy website on natural gas: http://www.energy.gov/energysources/naturalgas.htm
Natural Gas Supply Association website on natural gas: http://www.naturalgas.org/
Earthworks: Hydraulic Fracturing 101: http://www.earthworksaction.org/FracingDetails.cfm

NUCLEAR POWER
The United States has 65 nuclear power plants with 104 reactors producing 20% of the nation’s power.
Limerick, Pennsylvania

Most are located on the eastern side of the country.

Sequoyah Nuclear Generating Plant, Tennessee
Nuclear plants create electricity much the same way as coal or gas plants do, except a nuclear plant uses the fissioning of uranium atoms to create the heat instead of burning coal or gas.

America has the fourth largest uranium reserves in the world, but the deposits are of lower grade and are uneconomical to mine when prices drop too low.
In 2001, only 5% of the uranium used in power plants was mined in the United States.

A single nuclear reactor can produce a significant amount of electricity.
San Onofre Generating Station, California

Palisades Nuclear Power Plant, Michigan
Nuclear plants have low operating costs and they reduce our dependence on burning fossil fuels.

Nuclear plants operated within the U.S. have good safety records. Not one life has ever been lost to a malfunction at an American nuclear facility.

Nuclear power produces very little greenhouse gas emissions and the amount of radioactive waste produced is a fraction of the coal ash waste produced by coal-fired power plants.
David Besse Nuclear Generating Station, Ohio

But the waste from the spent nuclear fuel remains toxic for thousands of years, and disposal of waste is a problem. A national repository for nuclear waste planned at Yucca Mountain in Nevada has run into roadblocks and may never be completed.

Three Mile Island
Nuclear accidents are rare, but can be devastating, and opposition to new nuclear plants is strong.

THE PROS AND CONS OF NUCLEAR POWER
PRO:
Emissions for nuclear power plants is very low.
A single nuclear power plant can generate a substantial amount of energy.
Nuclear power plants in the U.S. have good safety records.
CON:
Nuclear waste stays toxic for thousands of years, and storage is a problem.
Accidents, though rare, are devastating.
There is strong public opposition to nuclear power.
Uranium is a non-renewable resource that will eventually be used up.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON NUCLEAR ENERGY
U.S. Energy Information Agency: Nuclear Explained: http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=nuclear_home
Joseph Gonyeau’s Virtual Nuclear Tourist: Nuclear Plants Around the World: http://www.nucleartourist.com/
The Future of Nuclear Power: An interdisciplinary study by MIT: http://web.mit.edu/nuclearpower/
National Geographic Magazine: Nuclear Power: Risking a Comeback: http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2006/04/nuclear-power/petit-text.html
Time for Change: The Pros and Cons of Nuclear Power (anti-nuclear): http://timeforchange.org/pros-and-cons-of-nuclear-power-and-sustainability

GEOTHERMAL POWER
Geyserville, CA
Geothermal power plants utilize naturally occurring hot water from deep beneath the earth’s surface to power the turbines.

Wells are drilled deep into the earth, bringing the hot water up to the surface where it is used to power the turbine directly without burning any fossil fuels. An injection well returns the water deep inside the earth to begin the process again.

Greenhouse heated by geothermal energy
Geothermal fluids can also be directly used for heating buildings and greenhouses, to melt snow on the sidewalks in winter time, and even to grow fish on fish farms.
Geothermal Heating System

Most of the nation’s geothermal resources are located in the western United States.

The United States leads the world in geothermal energy production. The largest group of geothermal plants is located at the Geysers geothermal field in Northern California.

Geothermal plants produce very little emissions - only about one-sixth of the carbon dioxide that a natural gas plant would produce, and very little if any other gases. The white smoke coming from the plants is actually steam from the cooling process.
The Leathers geothermal plant , Salton Sea

Most geothermal plants in operation today are either a flash system or a dry steam system. Both of these types of geothermal power production require reservoirs of high temperatures.
A dry steam plant at the Geysers geothermal field

Binary cycle plants are a newer technology that has been developed to utilize more moderate geothermal temperatures, allowing expansion of geothermal energy to more areas of the country. Most geothermal plants of the future will likely be binary.
Ormat facility in Steamboat Springs, Nevada
Click here to learn more about geothermal energy production.

Geothermal plant, Heber, CA
Geothermal fluids can contain salts and dissolved minerals which can be corrosive to equipment and require maintenance. Geothermal fluids along with the minerals are usually reinjected back into the earth, recycling the water and replenishing the reservoir.

The thermal efficiency of geothermal plants is low, as the geothermal fluids are not as hot as fluids produced by burning fossil fuels.
Geothermal plant, Salton Sea, CA

This doesn’t affect the operational costs because a geothermal plant does not burn any fuel. However, it does affect the return on capital for building the plant, the costs of which are substantial and involve significant risk.
Geothermal plant, El Centro, CA

Geothermal plant, Imperial Valley, CA
Geothermal energy is a clean domestic source of renewable energy, one that doesn’t require storage, transportation or combustion of fuels.

Geothermal plant, Imperial Valley, CA
However, building a geothermal plant is very expensive and involves significant risks. At this time, geothermal energy is not always cost-competitive with other sources of electricity.

THE PROS AND CONS OF GEOTHERMAL POWER
CON:
PRO:
Geothermal power is only available in certain areas of the country.
Initial drilling and construction is complex and expensive
Geothermal reservoirs must be carefully managed and maintained.
Lifespan of plants is unknown; Movement of the earth or other factors can cause the resource to dry up.
Geothermal energy is nearly completely non-polluting.
Plants are inexpensive to operate, once built.
A renewable source of domestic energy.
Geothermal plants do not require extraction, transportation or storage of fuels.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON GEOTHERMAL POWER:
U.S. Energy Information Administration, Geothermal Explained: http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=geothermal_home
National Renewable Energy Library, Geothermal Energy Basics: http://www.nrel.gov/learning/re_geothermal.html
How Geothermal Energy Works, by How Stuff Works: http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/energy/geothermal-energy.htm
Geothermal Energy Slideshow: http://geothermal.marin.org/geopresentation/sld001.htm
Take a virtual tour of a geothermal plant: http://www.calenergy.com/aboutus4.aspx

HYDROPOWER
Hydropower provides about 6% of the nation’s power and accounts for 20% of electricity produced worldwide. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy.

Hydropower utilizes the gravitational force of water flowing downhill to turn the blades of the turbineand produce electricity.

The amount of electrical output produced depends on the volume of water flowing through the turbine, and the height between source and the outflow of the water, called the hydraulic head.

Hydropower dams are most often located on a river with a large drop in elevation. The reservoir acts as stored energy which can be regulated and controlled to follow fluctuating consumer power demands.

But not all hydropower dams have reservoirs behind them. A ‘run of the river’ hydropower plant utilizes the natural flow and elevation drop of the river. All or a portion of the flow is diverted through the turbines at the power plant.

The Dalles Dam on the Columbia River, Washington
‘Run of the river’ hydropower plants are built on rivers with consistent and steady flows.

The output from run-of-the-river hydroplants varies seasonally, with a substantial amount of power produced in the spring when flows are high but considerably less during the drier, summer months.

Lower Granite Dam on the Snake River, Washington
Since there is no reservoir behind it, a run-of-the-river plant has little or no capacity for storage, and cannot coordinate electrical output with consumer demand.

One strategy for managing hydropower is called “pumped hydro storage”.

Water is pumped uphill to a higher reservoir at night when power costs are low, and then released to meet power demands during the day.

The amount of hydroelectric power produced by a dam depends on the rainfall within the watershed, and may be significantly reduced in drought conditions.

With hydropower, there is no expense for fuel; it is a domestic source of cheap, renewable, clean energy. Hydropower plants have a long life and low operating costs.

Lake Oroville, California
Reservoirs behind dams can provide recreational benefits, as well as water storage for drier months and flood protection for communities downstream.
Lake Oroville, California

Although hydropower provides clean and inexpensive electricity, dams are not without their environmental impacts. Creation of a reservoir behind a dam submerges valuable land and riparian environments.

Hoover Dam, Colorado River, Arizona-Nevada
Dams disrupt a river’s ecosystem by preventing sediment from flowing downstream, which can cause loss of riverbanks and scouring of river beds, even beach erosion.

New Bullards Bar Dam on the Yuba River, California
Dams also prevent access to spawning grounds by migrating fish.

Fish ladders have been installed at many dams and at great expense, but their performance so far has had mixed results.

Anderson Ranch Dam, Boise River, Idaho
Expansion of hydropower in the United States is limited by available rivers and the competing uses for those rivers, such as tourism, industry, and existing cities. The best sites have already been developed.

THE PROS AND CONS OF HYDROPOWER
PRO:
A completely clean, renewable source of domestic energy
Once built, inexpensive to operate and maintain
Dams can be built to provide flood control, and to store water for municipal use, recreation, and irrigation.
CON:
Dams and reservoirs disrupt natural ecosystems and habitat.
Only certain sites are suitable for hydropower; most of these have already been developed.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HYDROPOWER:
U.S. Energy Information Administration, Hydropower Explained: http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=hydropower_home
U.S Bureau of Reclamation, Hydropower pamphlet: http://www.usbr.gov/power/edu/pamphlet.pdf
U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, page on hydropower: http://www1.eere.energy.gov/windandhydro/hydro_how.html
Hydro Research Foundation: http://www.hydrofoundation.org/

SOLAR POWER
Solar power uses the energy of the sun to create electricity, either directly by using photovoltaic cells, or indirectly by using a concentrated solar power system.

The economic viability of a solar project depends on a number of factors, such as the number of cloudless days, the latitude of the installation, and the cost of collectors.

Photovoltaic cells convert sunlight directly into electricity and can be used to power small devices up to large-scale commercial generation.

Nellis AFB, Nevada
Photovoltaic systems are highly reliable, providing clean and silent energy for many years with virtually no maintenance.

Concentrated solar power systems use a variety of different systems to focus the sun’s energy and create electricity.

Parabolic trough systems have a curved mirror trough which focuses the sun’s energy onto a glass tube positioned at the focal point of the reflectors and running the length of the trough.

This heated fluid is transported to a heat engine which is used to generate electricity.

In a power tower design, thousands of mirrors tracking the sun focus sunlight onto a receiver which is sitting on top of a tower.
Sierra Sun Tower, Lancaster, CA

Inside the receiver, the sunlight heats the molten salt to over 1000 degrees; the hot salt then flows to a storage tank and eventually is used to run a steam generator.

In a dish system, a large parabolic dish focuses the energy onto a receiver above the dish which powers a small engine to create the electricity.

The solar furnace at Odeillo in the French Pyrenees-Orientales
There are many other different types of solar energy systems being developed and used throughout the world.
Fresnel solar plant in southern Spain

Solar systems provide an inexhaustible, completely renewable, domestic source of electrical energy production.

However, solar power installations are land intensive and expensive. Solar power still costs at least twice as much as energy generated from fossil fuels.

They must be sited in the right areas, with the Western U.S. having the most potential for solar power.

Seasons, clouds and air pollution can affect production, and since power is only produced when the sun is shining, other sources of energy must still be used.

THE PROS AND CONS OF SOLAR POWER
PRO:
A non-polluting, inexhaustible source of domestic energy
Can supply electricity to places not served by the grid
Inexpensive, once installed
More reliable than wind power
CON:
Initial costs are high
Power is only generated when the sun is shining
Weather and pollution affect output

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SOLAR POWER:
From the U. S. Department of Energy, Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy office: http://www.eere.energy.gov/basics/renewable_energy/solar.html
The American Solar Energy Society: http://www.ases.org/

WIND POWER
Wind power is the fastest growing energy technology.
Wind power is actually a form of solar energy, caused by the sun’s uneven heating of the atmosphere, irregularities of the earth’s surface, and the rotation of the earth.

Wind turbines use the kinetic energy of wind to power the turbine and produce electrical energy.

Winds near the ground tend to be slower and more turbulent than those higher up, so turbines are mounted on tall towers to generate the most electricity.

Wind power is a clean fuel source, a domestic source of power, and one of the lowest-priced renewable energy technologies in use.

Wind power is compatible with grazing, crops, and other agricultural land uses.

However, good wind sites are often in remote areas, requiring the construction of costly and controversial transmission lines.

Electricity is only produced when wind is blowing, which makes wind power an unreliable source of power.

And since wind power must compete with conventional power sources on a cost basis, profitability is dependent on the local wind conditions.

Currently, wind power accounts for about 1% of our power generation. While no doubt wind power will play a greater role in electrical production in the future, it cannot be expected to fulfill all of our nation’s electrical demand.

THE PROS AND CONS OF WIND POWER
PRO:
Wind power is a clean, renewable source of domestic energy production.
Wind power is generally compatible with grazing and agricultural land uses
CON:
Wind power produces power only when the wind is blowing, which can be unpredictable
The amount produced depends on how fast the wind is blowing
Installations must be sited properly; often the best places are remote and require costly transmission lines

FOR MORE INFORMATION
ON WIND POWER:
U.S. Energy Information Administration, Wind Power Explained: http://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm?page=wind_home
National Renewable Energy Laboratory page on wind power: http://www.nrel.gov/learning/re_wind.html
Wind Energy Resource Atlas of the United States: http://rredc.nrel.gov/wind/pubs/atlas/

ELECTRICAL PRODUCTION AND WATER USE
It is estimated that 39% of all freshwater withdrawals in the U.S. each day are for electrical power production, the majority of that needed for plants using fossil fuels.

Electrical power production is the second only to agriculture as the largest user of water in the U.S.. Most power plants using thermal processes require water for cooling equipment, which is why power plants are usually located near the ocean, a river, or some other body of water.

Once-through cooling systems draw water from a waterbody, run it through the plant to cool the equipment, and then return it to the waterbody,only now much warmer. This warmer water is not good for fish, and a lot of aquatic species are killed by these intake systems.

Even though the power plant’s water usage is not consumptive, during times of drought, lower flows can impact power production by making less freshwater available for cooling.

Drought impacts hydropower production, too. During drought conditions, less water is released from reservoirs, which in turn reduces the amount of power produced by the hydropower plants.

Reduced levels in reservoirs also means reduced hydraulic head, which further decreases the amount of power produced.

In 2010, Lake Mead dropped to it’s lowest level since the 1950s, and there was real concern that if the level were to continue to drop, the turbines at Hoover Dam would no longer be able to produce power.

While the U.S. population is expected to rise, freshwater availability will not. This increase in population will need both electricity and food, putting the two largest users in competition for increasingly scarce water resources.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON
WATER & ENERGY ISSUES:
Energy-Water Nexus Overview & Report, by Sandia Labs: http://www.sandia.gov/energy-water/nexus_overview.htm
Choke Point U.S., from the Circle of Blue Water News: http://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/featured-water-stories/choke-point-u-s/
Special Report: Water vs. Energy, by IEEE Spectrum: http://spectrum.ieee.org/static/special-report-water-vs-energy

How is electrical demand met?

One key limitation to the system is that electricity cannot be stored; it must be generated as needed.

Large facilities with low operating costs are used to meet the baseload demand – that portion of the supply that is unvarying. Usually this demand is met by coal-fired, nuclear, or geothermal plants.

Intermittent renewable sources such as wind and solar power add to the grid when available.

The rest of the demand is met by peaking plants – smaller, faster and usually more expensive plants that can start up quickly to meet demand. Typically these are combined-cycle natural gas or pumped hydroelectric operations.
Photo by the CA DWR.
Photo by Mollivan Jon (flickr).
Photo by Braden Kowitz (flickr).

The United States power grid consists of approximately 200,000 miles of transmission lines that are operated by about 500 different companies.

In the 1960s, North America was physically and administratively divided into four major grids:
These interconnections were established as a way for power companies to share electrical generation resources and increase their reliability.

Photo by Duke Energy.
The electrical grid is designed and managed to operate 99.9% of the time with less than 2% variation in voltage, regardless of how much demand is placed on the system.

The electrical grid works because hundreds of components combined have a large amount of output capability that are operated together to form one very large and reliable system.

However, in a widely connected grid, electricity generation and consumption must remain balanced, as electricity is consumed almost as soon as it is produced, and the potential for cascading failures and widespread power outages exists.

That’s just what happened on November 9, 1965, when the largest blackout in history occurred in the Northeastern U.S., leaving 30 million people without power, some for as long as 13 hours.

This led to the electric utility industry to establish the North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC), a self-regulatory agency who works to develop and promote rules and protocols for the reliable operation of North American power grid.
Photo by Tripp (flickr)

Under NERC, the four interconnecting systems are further subdivided into eight regional reliability councils, whose members come from all segments of the electric industry, from utilities and power producers of all sizes to power marketers and end-use customers.

NERC does not run the day to day operations of the grid; instead, it is an oversight agency whose main duties are to develop and enforce industry standards, identify trends and potential reliability issues regarding the power grid, and to provide providing educational and training resources for power system operators.

In areas of the country where power supplies are tight, Regional Transmission Organizations exist to administer the transmission grid for their respective regions. RTOs, sometimes called Independent Systems Operators, are overseen by the
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

ISO/RTOs oversee the operation of the grid 24 hours a day, coordinating electricity generation and demand, scheduling and managing flows over the transmission lines, and coordinating the operation of network equipment.

Managing the grid has become much more complex over the past twenty years as electrical consumption has grown and more generation capacity from various sources has come online. Since ISO/RTOs oversee the operation of the grid on a regional basis, they are better positioned to detect and respond to developing problems, and to make recommendations for system improvements.

SOME FACTS ABOUT STATES
AND ELECTRICITY
California leads the nation in generating electricity from renewable sources, such as solar, wind, geothermal and hydroelectric power.
California imports the most electricity from other states.
Texas both produces and consumes more electricity than any other state.
Wyoming is the nation’s top producer of coal, producing more than West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Montana combined.
Washington produces the most hydropower of all the states; New York produces the most of any state east of the Rockies.
Find your state’s energy profile here: http://www.eia.doe.gov/state/

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE ELECTRICAL GRID & REGULATING AGENCIES:
How Power Grids Work, from How Stuff Works: http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/energy/power.htm
Electrical System Overview: http://www.globalsecurity.org/security/intro/power.htm
National Electrical Reliability Corporation (NERC) website: http://www.nerc.com/
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission: http://www.ferc.gov/
ISO/RTO Council: http://www.isorto.org/site/c.jhKQIZPBImE/b.2603295/k.BEAD/Home.htm

How does the electrical power produced by the power plants get to our homes and businesses?

Electricity sent over transmission lines is in the form of alternating current (AC), because it is easier to generate AC rather than direct current, and transformers can be used to change voltage to a higher voltage which is needed for transmission over long distances.

After the electricity leaves the power plant, transformers raise the voltage to prepare it for transmission.

Electricity is transmitted at high voltages to reduce energy loss due to resistance in the transmission wires.

The power travels to a substation. Substations usually have switching, protection and control equipment, and at least one transformer.

At a substation, transformers lower the voltage to one that is suitable for distribution to homes and businesses.

Electricity enters either from a wire connected to a power pole or through cables underground. Meters measure how much electricity we use in our homes.

Industrial
Customer
Industrial
Customer
Residential
Customer
Here is a diagram of the process.

What about electricity use inside the home?

How electricity is used within our homes varies widely on a regional basis, due to factors such as climate, humidity, and access to natural gas as an alternative fuel for heating and cooking.

Heating, ventilation, and cooling accounts for about 24% of energy usage within the home nationwide, but varies widely depending on regional climate.

Refrigerators consume around 8%, with older model refrigerators consuming considerably more.
Lighting accounts for about 15% of household use.

Consumer electronics make up about 15%, and that is expected to triple over the next two decades as consumers continue to buy and use more electronic devices.

Newer models of large flat screen TVs use significant amounts of power, due to their larger screen size and that users tend to spend more time watching them. Some models can draw more power than a refrigerator.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT …
Photo by Deacon MacMillan (flickr)
Electrical demand is increasing in the United States, even as we make efficiency gains. Nonetheless, the U. S. Energy Information Administration predicts electrical demand will grow by 41% by 2030.
Where will this additional electricity come from?

Given that electrical power generation accounts for more carbon dioxide emissions than transportation, and that nearly half of America’s electrical production comes from coal, how ‘green’ is a plug-in electric car?

MORE WEB RESOURCES
Electricity:- A comprehensive article on electricity generation & distribution from AAEnvironment.com: http://aaenvironment.com/Electricity.htm
Energy Explained: Your Guide to Understanding Electricity, from the U. S. Energy Information Administration: http://www.eia.doe.gov/energyexplained/index.cfm
Topics in Energy, from the Energy Library: http://theenergylibrary.com/taxonomy/term/2329
Photo gallery of the world’s 100 largest power plants: http://www.industcards.com/top-100-pt-1.htm
Energy Consumers Edge: A comprehensive website on all things energy: http://www.energy-consumers-edge.com/energy-resources.html
Frequently Asked Questions about Electricity, from the U. S. Energy Information Administration: http://www.eia.doe.gov/ask/electricity_faqs.asp#power_plants

Pictures in this presentation were sourced from Wikimedia Commons, Flickr photographers under the Creative Commons License, the California Department of Resources, Bureau of Reclamation, the NREL’s Photographic Information Exchange, and Dreamstime.com. Locations are given when known.

Presentation by
Chris Austin
Maven’s Manor
www.mavensmanor.com

Also available online
Follow the path California’s first water project, learn a bit of it’s history and find out how the Los Angeles Aqueduct works by clicking here.
Follow the path of water as it flows from the Colorado River, through the fertile fields of the Imperial Valley and on to the Salton Sea by clicking here.
Hottest, driest, lowest. Death Valley is all of these. Check out the wonders of Death Valley by clicking here.
In the world of California water, we’re always arguing about the Delta. What is the Delta and why is it important? Find out by clicking here.

Thank you for looking!
Photo by Ian Koh.

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Electricity - A Visual Primer

by Chris Austin

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