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    could be reached through theculvertsof the viaduct without digging up the road, which was

    the monopoly of the gas companies. The customers included theCity Templeand theOld

    Bailey. Another important customer was the Telegraph Office of theGeneral Post Office, but

    this could not be reached though the culverts. Johnson arranged for the supply cable to be run

    overhead, via Holborn Tavern andNewgate.[5]

    In September 1882 in New York, thePearl Street Stationwas established by Edison to

    provide electric lighting in the lower Manhattan Island area. The station ran until destroyed

    by fire in 1890. The station used reciprocatingsteam enginesto turn direct-current

    generators. Because of the DC distribution, the service area was small, limited by voltage

    drop in the feeders. TheWar of Currentseventually resolved in favor of AC distribution and

    utilization, although some DC systems persisted to the end of the 20th century. DC systems

    with a service radius of a mile (kilometer) or so were necessarily smaller, less efficient of fuel

    consumption, and more labor intensive to operate than much larger central AC generating

    stations.

    AC systems used a wide range offrequenciesdepending on the type of load; lighting loadusing higher frequencies, and traction systems and heavy motor load systems preferring

    lower frequencies. The economics of central station generation improved greatly when

    unified light and power systems, operating at a common frequency, were developed. The

    same generating plant that fed large industrial loads during the day, could feed commuter

    railway systems during rush hour and then serve lighting load in the evening, thus improving

    the systemload factorand reducing the cost of electrical energy overall. Many exceptions

    existed, generating stations were dedicated to power or light by the choice of frequency, and

    rotatingfrequency changersand rotating converters were particularly common to feed

    electric railway systems from the general lighting and power network.

    Throughout the first few decades of the 20th century central stations became larger, using

    higher steam pressures to provide greater efficiency, and relying on interconnections of

    multiple generating stations to improve reliability and cost. High-voltage AC transmission

    allowedhydroelectric powerto be conveniently moved from distant waterfalls to city

    markets. The advent of thesteam turbinein central station service, around 1906, allowed

    great expansion of generating capacity. Generators were no longer limited by the power

    transmission of belts or the relatively slow speed of reciprocating engines, and could grow to

    enormous sizes. For example,Sebastian Ziani de Ferrantiplanned what would have been the

    largest reciprocating steam engine ever built for a proposed new central station, but scrapped

    the plans when turbines became available in the necessary size. Building power systems out

    of central stations required combinations of engineering skill and financial acumen in equalmeasure. Pioneers of central station generation includeGeorge WestinghouseandSamuel

    Insullin the United States, Ferranti andCharles Hesterman Merzin UK, and many others.

    Thermal power stations [edit]

    Main article:Thermal power station

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culverthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culverthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culverthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Temple_(London)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Temple_(London)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Temple_(London)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Baileyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Baileyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Baileyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Baileyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Post_Office#Headquartershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Post_Office#Headquartershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Post_Office#Headquartershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newgatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newgatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_station#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_station#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_station#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_Street_Stationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_Street_Stationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_Street_Stationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_enginehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_enginehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_enginehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_Currentshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_Currentshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_Currentshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utility_frequencyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utility_frequencyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utility_frequencyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Load_factor_(electrical)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Load_factor_(electrical)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Load_factor_(electrical)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frequency_changerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frequency_changerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frequency_changerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroelectric_powerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroelectric_powerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroelectric_powerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_turbinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_turbinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_turbinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebastian_Ziani_de_Ferrantihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebastian_Ziani_de_Ferrantihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebastian_Ziani_de_Ferrantihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Westinghousehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Westinghousehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Westinghousehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Insullhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Insullhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Insullhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Insullhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Hesterman_Merzhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Hesterman_Merzhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Hesterman_Merzhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Power_station&action=edit&section=2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_power_stationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_power_stationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_power_stationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_power_stationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Power_station&action=edit&section=2http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Hesterman_Merzhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Insullhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Insullhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Westinghousehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sebastian_Ziani_de_Ferrantihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_turbinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroelectric_powerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frequency_changerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Load_factor_(electrical)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utility_frequencyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_of_Currentshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steam_enginehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_Street_Stationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_station#cite_note-5http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newgatehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Post_Office#Headquartershttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Baileyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Baileyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_Temple_(London)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culvert
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    Rotor of a modern steam turbine, used in power station.

    In thermal power stations, mechanical power is produced by aheat enginethat transforms

    thermal energy, often fromcombustionof afuel, into rotational energy. Most thermal power

    stations produce steam, and these are sometimes called steam power stations. Not all thermalenergy can be transformed into mechanical power, according to thesecond law of

    thermodynamics. Therefore, there is always heat lost to the environment. If this loss is

    employed as useful heat, for industrial processes ordistrict heating, the power plant is

    referred to as acogenerationpower plant or CHP (combined heat-and-power) plant. In

    countries where district heating is common, there are dedicated heat plants calledheat-only

    boiler stations. An important class of power stations in the Middle East uses by-product heat

    for thedesalinationof water.

    The efficiency of a steam turbine is limited by the maximum steam conditions produced and

    is not directly a function of the fuel used. For the same steam conditions, coal, nuclear and

    gas power plants all have the same theoretical efficiency. Overall, if a system is on constantly(base load) it will be more efficient than one that is used intermittently (peak load). steam

    turbines generally operate at higher efficiency when operated a full capacity.

    Besides use of reject heat for process or district heating, one way to improve overall

    efficiency of a power plant is to combine two different thermodynamic cycles. Most

    commonly, exhaust gases from a gas turbine are used to generate steam for a boiler and steam

    turbine. The combination of a "top" cycle and a "bottom" cycle produces higher overall

    efficiency than either cycle can attain alone.

    Classification [edit]

    St. Clair Power Plant, a large coal-fired generating station inMichigan,United States.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_enginehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_enginehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_enginehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_energyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_energyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combustionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combustionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combustionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_law_of_thermodynamicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_law_of_thermodynamicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_law_of_thermodynamicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_law_of_thermodynamicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_heatinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_heatinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_heatinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cogenerationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cogenerationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cogenerationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat-only_boiler_stationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat-only_boiler_stationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat-only_boiler_stationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat-only_boiler_stationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desalinationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desalinationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desalinationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Power_station&action=edit&section=3http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Power_station&action=edit&section=3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Clair_Power_Planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Clair_Power_Planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michiganhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michiganhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michiganhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DTE_St_Clair.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:DTE_St_Clair.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dampfturbine_Laeufer01.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dampfturbine_Laeufer01.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Stateshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michiganhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Clair_Power_Planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Power_station&action=edit&section=3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desalinationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat-only_boiler_stationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat-only_boiler_stationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cogenerationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/District_heatinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_law_of_thermodynamicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_law_of_thermodynamicshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuelhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combustionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_energyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_engine
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    Ikata Nuclear Power Plant,Japan.

    Nesjavellir Geothermal Power Station,Iceland.

    By fuel [edit]

    Fossil-fuel power stationsmay also use a steam turbine generator or in the case ofnatural gas-fired plants may use acombustion turbine. A conventionalcoal-fired

    power stationproduces heat by burning coal in a steam boiler. The steam drives a

    steam turbineandgeneratorthat then produceselectricityA side-effect of burningcoal is the production of combustion gases such assulphur dioxide,nitrogen oxides

    andcarbon dioxide. Technology can be used to capture or convert these gases. If this

    is not done they can contribute to environmental harm such asglobal warmingoracid

    rain.

    Nuclear power plants[6]use anuclear reactor's heat that is transferred to steam whichthen operates asteam turbineandgenerator. About 20% of electric generation in the

    USA is produced by nuclear power plants.

    Geothermal powerplants use steam extracted from hot underground rocks. Biomass-fuelled power plantsmay be fuelled bywaste from sugar cane,municipal

    solid waste, landfillmethane, or other forms ofbiomass.

    In integratedsteel mills,blast furnaceexhaust gas is a low-cost, although low-energy-density, fuel.

    Waste heat from industrial processesis occasionally concentrated enough to use forpower generation, usually in a steam boiler and turbine.

    Solar thermalelectric plants use sunlight to boil water and produce steam which turnsthe generator.

    By prime mover [edit]

    Steam turbineplants use the dynamic pressure generated by expanding steam to turnthe blades of a turbine. Almost all large non-hydro plants use this system. About 90%of all electric power produced in the world is by use of steam turbines.

    [7]

    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    Gas turbineplants use the dynamic pressure from flowing gases (air and combustionproducts) to directly operate the turbine. Natural-gas fuelled (and oil fueled)

    combustion turbine plants can start rapidly and so are used to supply "peak" energy

    during periods of high demand, though at higher cost than base-loaded plants. These

    may be comparatively small units, and sometimes completely unmanned, being

    remotely operated. This type was pioneered by the UK, Princetown[8]

    being theworld's first, commissioned in 1959.

    Combined cycleplants have both a gas turbine fired by natural gas, and a steam boilerand steam turbine which use the hot exhaust gas from the gas turbine to produce

    electricity. This greatly increases the overall efficiency of the plant, and many new

    baseload power plants are combined cycle plants fired by natural gas.

    Internal combustionreciprocating enginesare used to provide power for isolatedcommunities and are frequently used for small cogeneration plants. Hospitals, office

    buildings, industrial plants, and other critical facilities also use them to provide

    backup power in case of a power outage. These are usually fuelled by diesel oil,

    heavy oil,natural gas, andlandfill gas.

    Microturbines,Stirling engineand internal combustion reciprocating engines are low-cost solutions for using opportunity fuels, such aslandfill gas, digester gas from water

    treatment plants and waste gas from oil production.

    By duty [edit]

    Power plants that can be dispatched (scheduled) to provide energy to a system include:

    Base load power plantsrun nearly continually to provide that component of systemload that doesn't vary during a day or week. Baseload plants can be highly optimized

    for low fuel cost, but may not start or stop quickly during changes in system load.

    Examples of base-load plants would include large modern coal-fired and nuclear

    generating stations, or hydro plants with a predictable supply of water.

    Peaking power plantsmeet the daily peak load, which may only be for a one or twohours each day. While their incremental operating cost is always higher than base load

    plants, they are required to ensure security of the system during load peaks. Peaking

    plants include simple cycle gas turbines and sometimes reciprocating internal

    combustion engines, which can be started up rapidly when system peaks are

    predicted. Hydroelectric plants may also be designed for peaking use.

    Load following power plantscan economically follow the variations in the daily andweekly load, at lower cost than peaking plants and with more flexibility than baseload

    plants.

    Non-dispatchable plants include such sources as wind and solar energy; while their long-term

    contribution to system energy supply is predictable, on a short-term (daily or hourly) base

    their energy must be used as available since generation cannot be deferred. Contractual

    arrangements ( "take or pay") with independent power producers or system interconnections

    to other networks may be effectively non-dispatchable.

    Cooling towers [edit]

    Main article:Cooling tower

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_turbinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_turbinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_station#cite_note-8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_station#cite_note-8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_cyclehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_cyclehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reciprocating_enginehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reciprocating_enginehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reciprocating_enginehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landfill_gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landfill_gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landfill_gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_turbine#Micro_turbineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_turbine#Micro_turbineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stirling_enginehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stirling_enginehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stirling_enginehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landfill_gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landfill_gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landfill_gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Power_station&action=edit&section=6http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Power_station&action=edit&section=6http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Power_station&action=edit&section=6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_load_power_planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_load_power_planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peaking_power_planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peaking_power_planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Load_following_power_planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Load_following_power_planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Power_station&action=edit&section=7http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Power_station&action=edit&section=7http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Power_station&action=edit&section=7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooling_towerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooling_towerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooling_towerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cooling_towerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Power_station&action=edit&section=7http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Load_following_power_planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peaking_power_planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Base_load_power_planthttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Power_station&action=edit&section=6http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landfill_gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stirling_enginehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_turbine#Micro_turbineshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landfill_gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_gashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reciprocating_enginehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Combined_cyclehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_station#cite_note-8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_turbine
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    Cooling towersshowing evaporating water atRatcliffe-on-Soar Power Station,United

    Kingdom.

    "Camouflaged" natural draft wetcooling tower

    All thermal power plants producewaste heatenergy as a byproduct of the useful electrical

    energy produced. The amount of waste heat energy equals or exceeds the amount of energy

    converted into useful electricity . Gas-fired power plants can achieve 50% conversion

    efficiency while coal and oil plants achieve around 3049%. The waste heat produces a

    temperature rise in the atmosphere which is small compared to that produced bygreenhouse-

    gasemissions from the same power plant. Natural draft wetcooling towersat many nuclear

    power plants and large fossil fuel-fired power plants use largehyperboloidchimney-like

    structures (as seen in the image at the left) that release the waste heat to the ambient

    atmosphere by theevaporationof water.

    However, the mechanical induced-draft or forced-draft wet cooling towers in many large

    thermal power plants, nuclear power plants, fossil-fired power plants,petroleum refineries,

    petrochemical plants,geothermal,biomassandwaste-to-energy plantsusefansto provide air

    movement upward through downcoming water, and are not hyperboloid chimney-like

    structures. The induced or forced-draft cooling towers are typically rectangular, box-like

    structures filled with a material that enhances the mixing of the upflowing air and the

    downflowing water.[9][10]

    In areas with restricted water use, a dry cooling tower or directly air-cooled radiators may be

    necessary, since the cost or environmental consequences of obtaining make-up water for

    evaporative cooling would be prohibitive. These coolers have lower efficiency and higherenergy consumption to drive fans, compared to a typical wet, evaporative cooling tower.

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    Where economically and environmentally possible, electric companies prefer to use cooling

    water from the ocean, a lake, or a river, or a cooling pond, instead of a cooling tower. This

    type of cooling can save the cost of a cooling tower and may have lower energy costs for

    pumping cooling water through the plant'sheat exchangers. However, the waste heat can

    cause the temperature of the water to rise detectably. Power plants using natural bodies of

    water for cooling must be designed to prevent intake of organisms into the coolingmachinery. A further environmental impact is that aquatic organisms which adapt to the

    warmer discharge water may be injured if the plant shuts down in cold weather.

    Water consumption by power stations is a developing issue.[11]

    In recent years, recycled wastewater, or grey water, has been used in cooling towers. The

    Calpine Riverside and the Calpine Fox power stations inWisconsinas well as the Calpine

    Mankato power station inMinnesotaare among these facilities.

    Power from renewable energy [edit]Power stations can also generate electrical energy fromrenewable energysources.

    Hydroelectricity [edit]

    Three Gorges Dam

    Main article:Hydroelectricity

    Damsbuilt to producehydroelectricityimpound areservoirof water and release it through

    one or morewater turbines, connected togenerators, and generate electricity, from the energy

    provided by difference in water level upstream and downstream.

    Pumped storage [edit]

    Main article:Pumped-storage hydroelectricity

    Apumped-storagehydroelectric power plant is a net consumer of energy but can be used to

    smooth peaks and troughs in overall electricity demand. Pumped storage plants typically use

    "spare" electricity during off peak periods to pump water from a lower reservoir or dam to an

    upper reservoir. Because the electricity is consumed "off peak" it is typically cheaper than

    power at peak times. This is because the "base load" power stations, which are typically coal

    fired, cannot be switched on and off quickly so remain in service even when demand is low.

    During hours of peak demand, when the electricity price is high, the water pumped to thehigh reservoir is allowed to flow back to the lower reservoir through a water turbine

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    connected to an electricity generator. Unlike coal power stations, which can take more than

    12 hours to start up from cold, the hydroelectric plant can be brought into service in a few

    minutes, ideal to meet a peak load demand. Two substantial pumped storage schemes are in

    South Africa, one to the East of Cape Town (Palmiet) and one in the Drakensberg, Natal

    Solar [edit]

    Main article:Solar power

    Solar energycan be turned into electricity either directly insolar cells, or in aconcentrating

    solar powerplant by focusing the light to run a heat engine.

    Nellis Solar Power PlantinNevada, United States.

    A solar photovoltaic power plant converts sunlight into direct current electricity using the

    photoelectric effect.Inverterschange the direct current into alternating current for connection

    to the electrical grid. This type of plant does not use rotating machines for energy conversion.

    Solar thermal power plants are another type of solar power plant. They use either parabolic

    troughs orheliostatsto direct sunlight onto a pipe containing a heat transfer fluid, such as oil.

    The heated oil is then used to boil water into steam, which turns a turbine that drives an

    electrical generator. The central tower type of solar thermal power plant uses hundreds or

    thousands of mirrors, depending on size, to direct sunlight onto a receiver on top of a tower.

    Again, the heat is used to produce steam to turn turbines that drive electrical generators.

    Wind [edit]

    Main article:Wind power

    Wind turbines inTexas,USA.

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    Wind turbinescan be used to generate electricity in areas with strong, steady winds,

    sometimesoffshore. Many different designs have been used in the past, but almost all modern

    turbines being produced today use a three-bladed, upwind design. Grid-connected wind

    turbines now being built are much larger than the units installed during the 1970s, and so

    produce power more cheaply and reliably than earlier models. With larger turbines (on the

    order of one megawatt), the blades move more slowly than older, smaller, units, which makesthem less visually distracting and safer for airborne animals.

    Marine [edit]

    Main article:Marine energy

    Marine energy ormarine power (also sometimes referred to as ocean energy orocean

    power) refers to the energy carried byocean waves,tides,salinity, andocean temperature

    differences. The movement of water in the worlds oceans creates a vast store ofkinetic

    energy, or energy in motion. This energy can be harnessed togenerateelectricity to power

    homes, transport and industries.

    The term marine energy encompasses bothwave powerpower from surface waves, and

    tidal powerobtained from the kinetic energy of large bodies of moving water.Offshore

    wind poweris not a form of marine energy, as wind power is derived from thewind, even if

    thewind turbinesare placed over water.

    Theoceanshave a tremendous amount of energy and are close to many if not most

    concentrated populations. Ocean energy has the potential of providing a substantial amount

    of newrenewable energyaround the world.[12]

    Osmosis [edit]

    Main article:Osmotic power

    Salinity gradient energy is called pressure-retarded osmosis.[15] In this method, seawater is

    pumped into a pressure chamber that is at a pressure lower than the difference between the

    pressures of saline water and fresh water. Freshwater is also pumped into the pressure

    chamber through a membrane, which increase both the volume and pressure of the chamber.

    As the pressure differences are compensated, a turbine is spun creating energy. This method

    is being specifically studied by the Norwegian utility Statkraft, which has calculated that up

    to 25 TWh/yr would be available from this process in Norway. Statkraft has built the world'sfirst prototype osmotic power plant on the Oslo fiord which was opened on November 24,

    2009.

    Typical power output [edit]

    The power generated by a power station is measured in multiples of thewatt, typically

    megawatts(106 watts) orgigawatts(109 watts). Power stations vary greatly in capacity

    depending on the type of power plant and on historical, geographical and economic factors.

    The following examples offer a sense of the scale.

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    Many of the largest operational onshore wind farms are located in the USA. As of 2011, the

    Roscoe Wind Farmis the second largest onshore wind farm in the world, producing 781.5

    MWof power, followed by theHorse Hollow Wind Energy Center(735.5 MW). As of

    November 2010, theThanet Offshore Wind ProjectinUnited Kingdomis the largest offshore

    wind farm in the world at 300MW, followed byHorns Rev II(209 MW) in Denmark.

    As of April 2012, thelargest photovoltaic (PV) power plants in the worldare led by India's

    Gujarat Solar Parkrated at 605 megawatts. A planned installation in China will produce 2000

    megawatts at peak.[13]

    Solar thermal power stations in the U.S. have the following output:

    The country's largest solar facility atKramer Junctionhas an output of 354 MW

    The plannedBlythe Solar Power Projectwill produce an estimated 968 MW

    Large coal-fired, nuclear, and hydroelectric power stations can generate hundreds of

    Megawatts to multiple Gigawatts. Some examples:

    TheThree Mile Island Nuclear Generating Stationin the USA has a rated capacity of

    802 megawatts.

    The coal-firedRatcliffe-on-Soar Power Stationin the UK has a rated capacity of 2

    gigawatts.

    TheAswan Damhydro-electric plant in Egypt has a capacity of 2.1 gigawatts.

    TheThree Gorges Damhydro-electric plant in China will have a capacity of 22.5

    gigawatts when complete; 18.2 gigawatts capacity is operating as of 2010.

    Gas turbine power plants can generate tens to hundreds of megawatts. Some examples:

    TheIndian Queenssimple-cycle peaking power station in Cornwall UK, with a single

    gas turbine is rated 140 megawatts.

    TheMedway Power Station, a combined-cycle power station in Kent, UK with two

    gas turbines and one steam turbine, is rated 700 megawatts.[14]

    The rated capacity of a power station is nearly the maximum electrical power that that power

    station can produce. Some power plants are run at almost exactly their rated capacity all the

    time, as a non-load-followingbase load power plant, except at times of scheduled or

    unscheduled maintenance.

    However, many power plants usually produce much less power than their rated capacity.

    In some cases a power plant produces much less power than its rated capacity because it uses

    anintermittent energy source. Operators try to pullmaximum available powerfrom such

    power plants, because theirmarginal costis practically zero, but the available power varies

    widelyin particular, it may be zero during heavy storms at night.

    In some cases operators deliberately produce less power for economic reasons. The cost of

    fuel to run aload following power plantmay be relatively high, and the cost of fuel to run a

    peaking power plantis even higherthey have relatively high marginal costs. Operators keep

    power plants turned off ("operational reserve") or running at minimum fuelconsumption

    [citation needed]("spinning reserve") most of the time. Operators feed more fuel into

    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ow_Wind_Energy_Centerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megawatthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roscoe_Wind_Farm
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    load following power plants only when the demand rises above what lower-cost plants (i.e.,

    intermittent and base load plants) can produce, and then feed more fuel into peaking power

    plants only when the demand rises faster than the load following power plants can follow.

    Operations [edit]

    The power station operator has several duties in the electricity-generating facility.

    Operators are responsible for the safety of the work crews that frequently do repairs on the

    mechanical and electrical equipment. They maintain the equipment with periodicinspections

    and log temperatures, pressures and other important information at regular intervals.

    Operators are responsible for starting and stopping, thegeneratorsdepending on need. They

    are able to synchronize and adjust the voltage output of the added generation with the running

    electrical system, without upsetting the system. They must know the electrical and

    mechanical systems in order totroubleshootsolve/fix problems in the facility and add to the

    reliability of the facility. Operators must be able to respond to an emergency and know the

    procedures in place to deal with it.

    See also [edit]

    Energy portal

    Battery-to-gridmini-power plants Combined heat and power Cooling tower system District heating Electricity generation Environmental concerns with electricity generation Flue gas stacks Fossil-fuel power station Geothermal power List of largest power stations in the world List of thermal power station failures Plant efficiency Relative cost of electricity generated by different sources Virtual power plant

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