Electricity Generation

energy · power · technology

What it means. Electricity generation is the process of taking energy from natural sources like coal, wind, water, or the sun, and converting it into electrical power that travels through wires to our homes and schools.

Power plants do the work. Huge facilities called power plants use different methods to create electricity. Some burn fuel to heat water into steam that spins giant turbines, while others use wind or flowing water to spin them directly.

Storage for later. Sometimes power plants make more electricity than we need right away, so they store the extra energy using pumped-storage, which pumps water uphill into a reservoir and releases it downhill through turbines when power is needed.

From source to home. After electricity is generated at a power plant, it travels through transmission lines and power lines to cities and towns, where it gets delivered to your house so you can turn on lights and use your devices.

Many different sources. We can generate electricity from fossil fuels like coal and natural gas, or from renewable sources like solar panels, wind turbines, and hydroelectric dams that use flowing water.