This is also known as electricity production. It is the process of creating electric power using primary energy sources. This stage takes place before electricity is distributed to end-users. There are many energy-producing systems that can be used to produce electricity. These systems include Natural gas, solar-thermal power, and Biomass. These systems can be used in several ways to generate electricity. These power-producing devices can be used to meet the increasing demand for electricity. These systems have many advantages and are increasingly popular in many countries.
Biomass
Biomass is a renewable fuel that can be used for electricity generation. It can also serve as a source of thermal energy. Renewable biomass resources are a good source of biomass electricity. The fuel transportation costs are high, and the systems must keep fuel on-site. Listed below are some benefits of biomass electricity production.
Biomass is a renewable source of energy that emits less carbon dioxide than traditional fossil fuels. Biomass can be considered renewable provided it is grown sustainably. Critics claim that the use of biomass to produce electricity is not sustainable. A similar argument is made for biomass produced in the USA and Canada.
Natural gas
Natural gas is a great source of electricity. It can reduce carbon emissions, and help the environment. Coal is one of the dirtiest fossil fuels for electricity generation. It emits the highest levels in the air. The United States' electric generation industry was historically one of the most polluting. However, environmental regulations have forced generators to find alternative ways to generate electricity. Today, natural gas plays a growing role in the clean generation of electricity.
Natural gas is often called a "clean" fuel because it produces fewer unwanted byproducts per unit of energy compared to coal or petroleum. It also produces significantly lower levels of carbon dioxide than coal. Natural gas also has higher efficiency compared to coal. Gas-fired power generation was 42% efficient in 2013 compared with 33% for coal-fired plants. Natural gas combined-cycle energy plants can achieve 60 percent efficiency.
Photovoltaic (PV)
Photovoltaic or PV electricity is a new renewable energy resource that is increasingly being used to generate power. Its efficiency and environmental impact are being examined. This study evaluates Georgian utility-scale PV electricity production for cost and environmental impacts. It uses a PV cost of 3.52 $/kW and estimates the impact of various incentives and subsidies. Subsidies and incentives are needed for more than 50% of the capital expenses of PV electricity generation.
PV electricity is competitive with base-load capacity because it has no marginal variable costs. However, due to temporary drop in demand, it is not possible to shut down PV electricity generation. In extreme cases, PV electricity production may result in a negative market price.
Solar-thermal power
Solar-thermal power systems utilize optical devices to direct sun's rays onto receivers in order to generate heat. This type of energy can be used for space heating, hot water heating, or industrial processes. It can also be harnessed for electricity production. The heat from the sun can be collected by a heat exchanger and used in a Stirling engine or steam-driven generator.
While solar thermal energy plants are available commercially, they still require extensive research and development. Prices per kilowatt hours are still approximately three to 4 times higher than the prices for fossil-fuel powered plants. As the market grows, however, costs should drop by 50-60% within the next 10-15 years, if there is more research and development.
Cogeneration
Cogeneration is a way to produce electricity and heat in one place. This method makes use of a single energy source, and gives you a higher energy return than each individual process. Cogeneration is a process that uses fuel combustion to generate electricity and heat. Nearly all thermal energy generated by this method is recovered and not released into the surrounding environment.
Cogeneration can bring significant cost savings. If every utility user in the United States converted to cogeneration, they could save about $10 billion a year. This would represent approximately one percent of total energy consumed in the country. It could also reduce carbon emissions by approximately 150 million metric tonnes. When cogeneration is combined with renewable energy, it can lower users' total energy bills. This makes cogeneration a more environmentally-sound way to provide base load electricity.