| Well, It all started back in the 1830's by a British | | | | drives a turbine that generates electricity. |
| physicist and chemist by the name of Michael | | | | Then there's 'Geothermal Power' another |
| Faraday. Inventor, Faraday was best known for | | | | renewable source of energy. This is utilized when |
| his discoveries of electromagnetic induction and of | | | | the heat energy buried beneath the surface of |
| the laws of electrolysis. Little did he know that | | | | the earth, is used to heat underground water into |
| one day the world's reliance would be such that it | | | | steam, which is harnessed to drive a generator's |
| is. I'm sure, that he also didn't realize that the | | | | turbines, to generate electricity. |
| world's resources would be rapidly depleted to | | | | Solar power uses the energy of the sun. |
| make it either! | | | | However, the sun's energy is not available all of |
| In the simplest of terms, electricity is made with | | | | the time, in all parts of the world. Solar power has |
| a magnet, a wire, and motion! When a magnet | | | | also, historically been more expensive than using |
| rotates around a conductor (wire) - electric | | | | conventional fossil fuels. The photovoltaic |
| energy is produced. When we combine a magnet, | | | | conversion generates electric power directly from |
| a wire and rotation, a electrical generator. | | | | the light of the sun in a photovoltaic (solar) cell. |
| How electricity is made has evolved over the | | | | Solar-thermal electric generators use the radiant |
| years, man has come up with many different | | | | energy from the sun to produce steam to drive |
| ways to drive or create the motion needed to | | | | turbines. |
| turn the generators that produce electricity. Most | | | | Biomass, substitutes conventional fossil fuels with |
| of which have relied on using our natural | | | | wood, garbage, and agricultural waste, such as |
| resources to drive the turbines connected to the | | | | corn cobs and straw. Biomass replaces fossil fuels |
| generators. For instance, coal and natural gas are | | | | in a boiler. When burned, it creates steam that is |
| used to heat water, which in turn creates steam, | | | | used in conventional steam-electric power |
| to drive the turbines, which drive the generators. | | | | generation. |
| We have also utilized natural flowing water, | | | | The problem of how to make electricity isn't one |
| created dams to regulate and redirect the flow | | | | of knowledge, it's one of implementation. We |
| through turbines that drive the generators. Once | | | | have many viable solutions to eliminate the |
| constructed, this process is very cost and | | | | depletion of fossil fuels... We simply aren't acting |
| environmentally effective, because there is no | | | | on them. The current 'Renewable Energy' |
| coal or natural gas depleted for this process. One | | | | produced represents just a small percentage of |
| problem though.... There's only so many rivers! | | | | our requirements. We need to eliminate the use |
| Then one day we figured out ... Gee, the wind | | | | of fossil fuel to generate our electricity. We need |
| blows all the time in Kansas ToTo.. Why don't we | | | | to convert to renewable energy. |
| put a propeller on a generator? Wah-Lah.. The | | | | I for one am not waiting for someone to make |
| Wind-Generator was born, which is a never | | | | the decision for me. I don't live in an area where |
| ending, source of energy, or 'Renewable Energy'! | | | | the wind could sustain the operation of a wind |
| Then we discovered 'Nuclear Power' In a nuclear | | | | generator, but I do live in an area where the sun |
| power plant, a reactor contains a core of enriched | | | | shines! Solar energy is my choice, and when the |
| uranium. When atoms of the uranium fuel are | | | | sun isn't shining, I can rely on the solar energy |
| bombarded by neutrons they fission or split, | | | | stored in my battery backup. |
| releasing heat and more neutrons. The heat that | | | | One day, when your children ask 'How is |
| is created is used to turn water into steam that | | | | Electricity Made'? What will your answer be? |