Marine[edit]

Main article: Marine energy

Marine energy or marine power (also sometimes referred to as ocean energy or ocean power)

refers to the energy carried by ocean waves, tides, salinity, and ocean temperature differences. The
movement of water in the world's oceans creates a vast store of kinetic energy, or energy in motion.
This energy can be harnessed to generate electricity to power homes, transport and industries.
The term marine energy encompasses both wave power — power from surface waves, and tidal
power — obtained from the kinetic energy of large bodies of moving water. Offshore wind power is
not a form of marine energy, as wind power is derived from the wind, even if the wind turbines are
placed over water.
The oceans have a tremendous amount of energy and are close to many if not most concentrated
populations. Ocean energy has the potential of providing a substantial amount of new renewable
energy around the world.[21]

Osmosis[edit]

Osmotic Power Prototype at Tofte (Hurum), Norway

Main article: Osmotic power

Salinity gradient energy is called pressure-retarded osmosis. In this method, seawater is pumped
into a pressure chamber that is at a pressure lower than the difference between the pressures of
saline water and fresh water. Freshwater is also pumped into the pressure chamber through a
membrane, which increases both the volume and pressure of the chamber. As the pressure
differences are compensated, a turbine is spun creating energy. This method is being specifically
studied by the Norwegian utility Statkraft, which has calculated that up to 25 TWh/yr would be
available from this process in Norway. Statkraft has built the world's first prototype osmotic power
plant on the Oslo fjord which was opened on 24 November 2009. In January 2014 however Statkraft
announced not to continue this pilot.[22]

Biomass[edit]
Metz biomass power station

Biomass energy can be produced from combustion of waste green material to heat water into steam
and drive a steam turbine. Bioenergy can also be processed through a range of temperatures and
pressures in gasification, pyrolysis or torrefaction reactions. Depending on the desired end product,
these reactions create more energy-dense products (syngas, wood pellets, biocoal) that can then be
fed into an accompanying engine to produce electricity at a much lower emission rate when
compared with open burning.

Storage power stations[edit]

Main article: Grid energy storage

It is possible to store energy and produce electrical power at a later time as in pumped-storage
hydroelectricity, thermal energy storage, flywheel energy storage, battery storage power station and
so on.

Operations[edit]

Control room of a power plant

Operating staff at a power station have several duties. Operators are responsible for the safety of
the work crews that frequently do repairs on the mechanical and electrical equipment. They maintain
the equipment with periodic inspections and log temperatures, pressures and other important
information at regular intervals. Operators are responsible for starting and stopping
the generators depending on need. They are able to synchronize and adjust the voltage output of
the added generation with the running electrical system, without upsetting the system. They must
know the electrical and mechanical systems to troubleshoot problems in the facility and add to the
 reliability of the facility. Operators must be able to respond to an emergency and know the
procedures in place to deal with it.

See also[edit]

 Energy portal

 Cogeneration
 Cooling tower
 Cost of electricity by source
 District heating
 Electricity generation
 Environmental impact of electricity generation
 Flue-gas stack
 Fossil-fuel power station
 Geothermal electricity
 Gravitation water vortex power plant
 Grid-tied electrical system mini-power plants
 List of largest power stations in the world
 List of power stations
 List of thermal power station failures
 Nuclear power plant
 Plant efficiency
 Unit commitment problem
 Virtual power plant