The process of generating electric power from primary energy sources is known as electricity production. This stage takes place before electricity is distributed to end-users. Electricity production can use a variety of energy-producing devices. These include solar-thermal energy, natural gas, and biomass. These systems can be used to produce electricity in a variety of ways. 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, a renewable fuel, is used to generate electricity. It can also serve as a source of thermal energy. Reliable biomass resources can be used to build biomass electricity systems. Fuel transportation costs are high and the systems must store fuel on-site. Below are some of the benefits of producing biomass electricity.
Biomass produces less carbon dioxide per unit of energy than fossil fuels. It can be considered renewable so long as it is sustainable. However, some critics argue that biomass used for electricity production cannot be sustained. A similar argument is made for biomass produced in the USA and Canada.
Natural gas
Natural gas production has the potential to reduce carbon emissions while improving the environment. Coal, which is the most polluting fossil fuel used for electricity generation releases the most pollutants into the air. Although the United States has historically had an electric generation industry that was one of the polluting, it has been forced to come up with alternative methods by environmental regulations. Today, natural gases play a greater role in the clean generation and distribution of electricity.
Natural gas is sometimes called a "clean fuel" because it produces less unwanted byproducts per unit energy than either petroleum or coal. It also produces significantly lower levels of carbon dioxide than coal. Natural gas is also much more efficient than natural coal. In 2013, natural gas-fired power stations were 42% efficient, compared to 33% in the case of coal-fired power plant. Natural gas combined-cycle energy plants can achieve 60 percent efficiency.
Photovoltaic (PV)
Photovoltaic electricity (PV) is a popular source of renewable energy. It is becoming more and more popular for its ability to generate power. Its efficiency is being evaluated and its impact on the environment is being assessed. The current study evaluates utility-scale solar electricity production in Georgia. It also examines its environmental impact and costs. It uses a PV cost of 3.52 $/kW and estimates the impact of various incentives and subsidies. This study shows that subsidies and other incentives are required to cover more 50% of the capital costs for PV electricity production.
PV electricity is affordable and has low marginal variable cost, making it an attractive option over base-load capacity. It is however difficult to reduce PV electricity production because of temporary drops in demand. Therefore, in extreme situations, PV electricity production can lead to negative market price.
Solar-thermal power
Solar-thermal power systems use optical devices to direct the sun's rays onto a receiver to generate heat. This energy is useful for heating space, hot water, and other industrial purposes. It can also be harnessed for electricity production. The sun's heat can be captured by a heat exchanging device and used to drive a Stirling engine.
While solar thermal power plants are now commercially accessible, they require significant research and development. Prices per kilowatthour are still about three to fourfold higher than those of fossil-fuel power stations. As the market develops, cost should fall by 50-60% over the next 10-15 years through further research.
Cogeneration
Cogeneration is a way to produce electricity and heat in one place. This method has a single primary energy source that guarantees a higher level of energy yield than either the individual processes. The most common cogeneration techniques use fuel combustion to produce heat and electricity. Nearly all the thermal energy produced by cogeneration is recovered, and does not go into the environment.
Cogeneration can lead to significant cost savings. It is estimated that cogeneration could be used by approximately $10 billion of utility users in the United States each year. This would amount to approximately 1% of all energy consumed in the United States. It could also help reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 150 million metric tons. Cogeneration, when combined with renewable fuels can help reduce the overall energy bill. This makes cogeneration a more environmentally-sound way to provide base load electricity.