Types of Power Plants Used for Generating Energy
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Types of Power Plants Used for Generating Energy

Energy CIO Insights | Tuesday, February 09, 2021

The energy companies focus on various power plants to develop energy as the demand is increasing. 

FREMONT, CA: Nuclear, coal, and wind power are the only three forms of energy used in power plants worldwide to produce electricity. But the nature of how and where power plants work is continually evolving as many nations have started to shift away from heavily polluting fossil fuels to low-carbon alternatives.

Types of power plants to produce electricity

Nuclear power plants

Nuclear power plants produce a high energy volume by utilizing a nuclear fission reaction and uranium as fuel. The technology is generally considered a more environmentally friendly alternative as nuclear power plants are a low-carbon energy source. The production of electricity from nuclear power plants is often considered more efficient than renewable energy sources like solar and wind.

While there is a substantial investment needed to put a nuclear power plant online, the costs involved in running it are relatively low. There is also a greater density of nuclear energy sources than fossil fuels, and they emit vast quantities of energy. For this, nuclear power plants need small amounts of fuel but generate a large amount of energy, making them incredibly efficient for running.

Hydroelectric power plants

By leveraging the gravitational force of flowing water, hydroelectricity is generated. Hydroelectric plants produce fewer greenhouse gases compared to fossil fuel-powered power plants. But it takes immense investment to construct hydroelectric power plants and dams.

In 2016, an unprecedented 31.5 gigawatts (GW) of hydropower capacity were placed into service, taking the world's total installed capacity to 1,246 GW, according to the 2017 Hydropower Status Report of the International Hydropower Association.

Geothermal power plants

Dry steam power stations, flash steam power stations, and binary cycle power stations are the three primary geothermal plants. All of them use steam turbines to generate electricity. Over the past decade, geothermal energy's installed capacity has steadily increased worldwide, increasing from just under 10 GW in 2010 to nearly 14 GW in 2019.

Compared with coal-fired power plants, geothermal power plants are environmentally friendly and produce low toxic gases.

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