Energy for

the future

Electricity Generation - Part 2

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Generators
 Use energy to generate electric currents.
 A moving magnet pushes the electrons along a
wire.
 The energy used to move the magnet is carried by
the electric current.
magnet

torch
bulb

Coil of wire

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The inventor of the generator

Michael Faraday 1791-1867

invented the generator in 1831.
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What do we need to make a generator
for a power station?

• Strong magnets
• Lots of wire

then lots of

energy
to turn the generator.

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Factories, homes and schools
need huge amounts of energy

• Generators in
power stations supply
electricity to factories,
homes and schools.

• These generators are

in power stations

• and are huge!

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Generators in power stations are
very, very big
Huge generators
need huge amounts
of energy.

The energy turns

the generators.

The electric
current carries the
energy to where it
is needed.

Size of a person
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How can a generator be turned?

Steam can be used

to turn a turbine
to turn the generator.

Turbine

Source
of
steam
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 A power station

electric
current

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How can water be heated to make steam?

Old way: The smoke is dirty and pollutes the

atmosphere.
Burn coal Also produces lots of carbon
dioxide which is a green house gas –
heats up the Earth.

Newer way: Gas is cleaner than coal but still makes

Burn gas lots of carbon dioxide

Eventually the world will run out of coal and gas.

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Steam from nuclear energy
 Nuclear reactors can be used
- to split atoms
- to release energy
- to boil water
– to make steam splits to give

- to turn the generators.

This does not cause pollution
but some waste is +
very dangerous and has to be
handled very carefully.

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Steam from the Earth

5000 C

- giving energy 70000 C

to generate
electricity.

In some countries there

are hot rocks close to the
surface of the Earth.
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Energy from the Earth
 In some countries
energy from the Earth
can be used
to boil water
to turn generators.

 This does not cause

pollution
 and will not run out. NREL geo pacific gas and electric

 But is not an option in the UK !

It would need very very deep holes!
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Electricity from waste
 Vegetation and animal dung give off energy as
they rot. This can be used to heat homes and
greenhouses directly.

 Also waste can be burned

- to boil water
- to make steam
- to turn generators.

The process uses up waste.

But produces carbon dioxide.

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How else can we turn a generator
without polluting the Earth?

Use flowing water.

top of dam

Hoover Dam in USA – 220m high

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 Hydroelectricity
Running water turns the generator
Water
from a
mountain
lake

(Tennessee Valley Authority)

Does not pollute the atmosphere.

The dam must be high in mountains.
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 Waves
 Energy from
waves can be
used to turn
generators.

 We have lots
of waves in the
seas around
the UK.

Does not cause pollution.

There are more problems to solve.
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We can make a windmill
 When you blow
the windmill it
turns.

 The moving air

pushes the blades
round.

What happens
if you blow
harder?
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Wind can turn generators
 Many years ago
windmills were used to turn
mill stones to grind grain.

 Now modern wind turbines

are used to turn
generators.
 Do not pollute the air.
 Wind is not used up.
 But sometimes the wind
does not blow.
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 Energy from the Sun

NASA 19
Solar cells
Use solar cells to change the energy in sunlight
into electricity
– no generator needed
- needs lots of sunlight.

Solar
cells

traffic
sign parking meter
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The space station has huge
solar panels
The
International
Space Station
uses solar
panels to
collect energy,
making it
possible for
scientists to
live on board
and do NASA
experiments. The framework is 109 metres long.
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Fusion
 Makes the Sun shine.

 Scientists are finding ways to get huge amounts

of energy.
 when small atoms join together,
energy is given out +
– like in the Sun. gives

 Will not run out.

 Does not pollute the air.

 The future? Not possible for another 20 years!

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Energy Sources:
Fossil fuels
Coal - pollution
Gas - pollution sources – do not run out
Renewable
Oil -Hydroelectricity
pollution – needs mountains
Wind - only works when wind blowing
Waste & rotting vegetation – greenhouse gases
Sunlight – best in sunny countries
Geothermal – only in countries with hot springs
Waves – small scale only – so far
Energy from nuclear reactions
Fission – waste needs very careful handling
Fusion – waste less dangerous
will not run out - but very difficult !
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Re-cap
• A generator generates an electric current
by moving magnets near a coil of wire.

• We need a source of energy to turn the

generator:
 Burn fossil fuels?
 Nuclear reactions?
 Renewable energy?

• You will have to choose !

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