The three main categories of energy for electricity generation are fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and oil), nuclear energy, and renewable energy. In the last century, the main sources of energy used to generate electricity were fossil fuels, hydroelectric power, and since the 1950s, nuclear power.
Electricity is not a natural resource because it is not a resource. Electricity is a collection of moving electronics, and motion is not a resource. However, electricity occurs naturally in the form of lightning, and natural resources are used for the production of electrical currents.
Today, most Americans get their electricity from centralized power plants that use a wide range of energy resources such as coal, natural gas, nuclear power, or renewable resources such as water, wind, or solar power to generate electricity.
Most of our electricity comes from coal, nuclear and other non-renewable energy sources. The production of energy from coal has a severe impact on the environment, polluting the air, land and water. Our dependence on coal is declining, and we still rely on it to generate electricity.
Electricity Is a Secondary Energy
Electricity is called secondary energy, which means it comes from primary energy sources including coal, natural gas, nuclear fission reactions, sunlight, wind and hydroelectric power. In most cases, electricity must be generated while it is being used. Renewable and nuclear power generation is considered primary energy because it comes directly from natural resources, while fossil fuel-based electricity is considered secondary because it is produced from primary energy feedstocks such as coal, natural gas, and oil.
From an energy perspective, primary fuels such as coal, oil, natural gas and uranium are natural resources. In contrast, fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas are not renewable because they are available in limited quantities: once extracted, they can no longer be used economically as energy. While they are produced by natural processes, these processes are too slow to refuel as quickly as humans use fuel, so these sources eventually run out.
Fossil fuels provide approximately 66% of the world’s electricity and 95% of the world’s energy needs, such as heating, transport, power generation, and more. Our fossil fuel consumption is doubling almost every 20 years, which is a pretty staggering statistic since their levels are so low.
Common Sources of Electrical Energy
Most electricity is generated by steam turbines using fossil fuels, nuclear energy, biomass, geothermal and solar energy. In the case of natural gas, coal, nuclear fission, biomass, oil, geothermal and solar thermal energy, the heat produced is used to create steam that drives turbine blades. With the exception of photovoltaic (PV) generation, primary energy sources are used directly or indirectly to drive the blades of a turbine connected to an electrical generator.
Electromechanical generators can be driven by the kinetic energy of running water and wind, or by the movement of steam generated when water boils from fuel combustion or nuclear fission.
When the generator coils spin in a strong magnetic field, electricity is created. Electricity in the United States is produced using a variety of resources. Electricity is also produced from renewable sources such as hydroelectric power, biomass, wind power, geothermal and solar power. Other energy sources and technologies may also be used, including gas turbines and photovoltaic solar cells.
Integrating Energy Sources Requires Improvements to Transmissions
The integration of multiple energy sources such as solar energy may require expansion and improvement of the transmission system, such as adding more transmission lines. Some distributed generation, such as distributed renewable energy, can help ensure clean and reliable energy to consumers and reduce power losses on transmission and distribution lines.
For example, small renewable energy sources such as rooftop solar panels can both provide clean energy for vehicles and reduce the need for distribution infrastructure by generating electricity close to the point of consumption. Electricity provides the means to use low-carbon energy sources, so widespread electrification is seen as a key tool for decarbonizing industries traditionally fueled by fossil fuels.
Projections for Energy Production
To meet the growing demand for sustainable energy, the World Nuclear Association has introduced the Harmony Program, which aims to provide at least 25% of electricity from nuclear power by 2050. currently produces 20% of US electricity. Power plants currently consume almost two-fifths of the US energy from all sources, including about 91% of US coal and 35% of natural gas, as well as biomass and landfill gas. The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) projects an 11% increase in US electricity production between 2015 and 2040, or about 0.4% per year.
In total production, the share of wind energy is projected to increase from more than 7% of total electricity production in 2014 to almost 11% by 2040, while the share of biomass, solar and geothermal energy will be about 5% from 2040, so that in the forecast period, the share of renewable sources in total production should be about 67 percent.
Together, renewables produced about 17% of the nation’s electricity in 2019. Hydroelectric plants generated about 7.3% of total U.S. electricity generation and about 37% of renewable energy generation in 2020.1 Hydroelectric plants use running water to spin a turbine connected to the generator. Fossil fuel power plants burn coal or oil to generate heat, which in turn is used to generate steam to drive turbines that generate electricity.