Electricity ⚡
Secondary fuel - converted from another
Conversion from primary fuel
Direct
Kinetic
Chemicla
Light
Several conversion may be needed to convert the energy into a energy form that can be converted to electricity
From Kinetic 🏃🏾
From Light 💡
From chemical energy 👨🏻🔬
Transport 🚛
Advantages ✔
Disadvantages ✖
Can be used to make electricity by spinning an electrical conductor within a magnetic field in a generator
May be harnessed directly
Can be produced by converting other types of available energy
Like heat energy
In conventional power stations heat is used to boil water
The movement of high pressure expanding steam is used to spin turbines
Which spins the generators
Photovoltaic cells
Photons of light that strike the surface of photovoltaic cell displace electrons
Making the surface layer negatively charged
The free electrons can flow along a conductor to a lower layer
Relatively positively charged
Moving electrons are used to power appliances
Use reactions where one chemical accepts electrons at an electrode
Then another chemical releases electrons at another electrode
The electrons flowing between can be used for power
Electrochemical cells are used in batteries to store chemical energy that can be converted
When chemical reactions take place, the battery loses its ability to produce more electricity
Rechargeable batteries use electricity to reform the chemical that produce electricity
Fuel cells also use electrochemical cells to store energy in chemicals
Hydrogen
Alcohols
They will not lose their ability to produce electricity as long as a fresh supply of fuel is available
Fuel cells use hydrocarbons, alcohols, hydrogen, oxygen
The simplest type uses hydrogen and oxygen
Hydrogen releases electrons while oxygen accepts them
Resulting hydrogen and oxygen ions combine to create water
No pollution when its used
Converting it to other forms is straightforward
Light
Sound
Heat
Movement
Transport is easy via conducting cables
Converting primary fuel to electricity is not efficent
Stroing electricity is difficult no large scale options
Initial production may be highly polluting
Locations where electricty can be generated are often geographically limited
Necessary to transport using cables
Laying cables underground is expensive
Cables need to be cooled which requires pumped coolant fluid
Overhead cables
Unaesthetic in scenic areas
Kills birds if they collide with the cables