The National Grid
What is the National Grid?
What are the components of the National Grid?
How does it deliver electricity?
The National Grid is a nationwide network of cables and transformers
The National Grid is a high voltage electric power transmission network only for the UK
The National Grid connects power stations and ensures that electricity can be delivered to all towns and cities in the UK
It also uses a lot of different energy resources to supply the country’s electricity
Transformers
Step-Up Transformers
Step-Down Transformers
Step-up transformers are used at power stations to transfer electricity
They are used to make the alternating potential difference much larger
Step-down transformers are used to supply electricity from the National Grid to consumers
Homes and factories, however need to be provided with different amounts of power
Homes and offices are supplied with mains electricity that provides roughly 230V
Factories are supplied with around 100kV or 33kV
Why does the National Grid use transformers?
When electricity is supplied, some of the energy is lost as it transfers to the surroundings
To prevent this, the National Grid makes the grid potential difference very large, so less current is needed - this is done with step-up transformers
The National Grid is entirely investor-owned
What different energy resources are used?
The bigger the distance between the power station and the homes, the greater the energy loss
How are transformers used?
First, the electricity passes through step-up transformers which increase the voltage to several hundred thousand volts
Then, the electricity passes through step-down transformers which reduce the voltage to several hundred volts
Renewable
Hydro
Non-Renewable
Oil
Gas
Solar
Coal
Nuclear
Wind