From One Form of Energy to Another
Power plants are complex structures that
are used to transform one type of energy into another.
The transformation process is conducted through a series
of operations. First, some type of energy is extracted
from a natural source (fuel, water, wind, sunlight, etc.).
Then it is converted into a usable form of energy. This
conversion process is called a cycle.
No cycle is perfect, because some energy is always lost
during the transformation process. Nevertheless, a power
plant uses its technology to obtain the maximum amount
of usable energy from the conversion process as possible.
The
efficiency of an energy transformation process or energy
cycle measures how much energy is lost and how much is
retained. The physical largeness that measures the goodness
of energy or cycle transformation is called an
efficiency.
Different types of power plants
include hydroelectric, thermoelectric, wind, nuclear, geothermal,
photovoltaic, solar thermal and waste incinerators. Every
power plant
supplies a given amount of
power.
Power measures the amount
of energy produced in one unit of time. Power is measured
in watts or, more commonly, in kilowatts (kW). Energy production/consumption
is measured in kilowatt-hours (KWh). One kilowatt-hour
corresponds to using the
power of one kilowatt in one hour.
Energy Production: Various Typologies
There are various types of power plants, including
hydroelectric, thermoelectric, geothermal, nuclear, fuel
cells, wind, photovoltaic, solar thermal, and waste incinerators.
Each type of plant performs a different type of energy
transformation.
Hydroelectric Energy Production
Hydroelectric power plants
transform the potential gravitational energy of falling
water into electrical power. (link pagina idroelettrico).
Thermoelectric Energy Production
Thermoelectric power
plants
take the thermal energy produced by burning a combustible material (usually fossil
fuels) and transform it into electrical power.
Nuclear Energy Production
Nuclear power plants transform the energy produced
by atomic fission into electrical power.
Electrochemical Energy Production
Fuel cells-powered plants transform
the chemical energy contained within fuel cells into electrical
power
.
Wind Energy Production
Wind power plants transform the kinetic energy
of wind into electrical power.
Solar photovoltaic
Energy Production
Photovoltaic power plants transform the luminous
energy of sunlight into electrical power.
Solar
thermal Energy Production
Solar thermodynamic power plants are very similar
to thermoelectric power plants, but they use the heat
energy of sunlight.
Renewable Energy Production
Biomass-fueled
waste
incinerators
are very similar to thermoelectric power plants, but they use fuels like municipal
waste, instead of fossil fuels.
This website only discusses four types of power plants.
In
Lombardy, the following
power plant types exist:
-
Hydroelectric
- Thermoelectric
- Fuel cells
- Waste incinerator
