Generation Source of power ( According to the Department of energy and climate change, the following statics are for

r electricity generation in the UK over the years .

Figure 1 Energy demand and fuel power generation

Figure 2 Fuel type Generation for 2012

From looking at figure 1 and 2; the sources that have been used to generate electricity are: 1. Coal: 25.4% of power generated in 2012, this was the largest source of generation used. 2.

1. Coal: 25.4% of power generated in 2012, this was the largest source of generation used. Generation of coal A coal power station turns Chemical Energy into Electrical Energy. The process consists of first grinding the coal into a fine powder, this ensures that the coal has a bigger surface area, burning the coal faster and hotter, also less wastage occurs. The fine coal powder is sent to the boiler where the chemical energy is converted into heat energy. When the coal is being burnt, ash and exhaust gases are being produced, the ash that is produced falls to the bottom of the boiler, where it is then sent to the ash system and then later sold into industry. The exhaust gas produced is filtered by the exhaust stack (4), to remove ash and dust. The Exhaust stack has tall built so that the exhaust plume can diffuse at the top, so it doesnt reach the ground. Pipes filled with water surround the boiler, so the water is heated and becomes steam. The steam expands in pipes, so it is under high pressure. The high pressured steam drives the steam turbine (6), converting the Heat Energy into Mechanical Energy. A shaft connects the steam turbine to the generator turbine, making the generator spin when the steam turbine spins. The generator used an electromagnetic field to then convert the mechanical energy into electrical energy. After the steam passes through he turbine, it passed through pipes filled with cold water, so the steam is condensed back into water and piped back to the boiler.

http://www.edfenergy.com/energyfuture/coal-generation

Figure 3: A Coal power system

1. Gas: 28.2% of power generated in 2012, this was the second largest source of generation used. http://www.edfenergy.com/energyfuture/generation-gas Gas power station converts chemical energy from natural gas into Electrical Energy. Natural gas is pumped into gas turbine and mixes with air. The gas is burnt converting chemical energy into heat energy. When the natural gas is burnt, mixtures of gases are produced called combustion gas. When the Combustion gas is heated it expands. So pressure builds up in the enclosed gas turbine. This pressure drives the gas turbine making it spin and as the gas turbine is connected to the generator by a shaft, so the generator also starts to spin. The generator uses an electromagnetic field to convert the mechanical energy into Electrical energy. The gas that has passed the turbine is then piped into the recovery steam generator. The gas is then used to heat pipe full of water, converting it into steam which then drives the steam turbine.

3. Nuclear: 22.3% of power generated in 2012, this was the third largest source of generation used. http://www.edfenergy.com/energyfuture/generation-nuclear

4. oil

RENEWABLE ENERGY HYDROPOWER http://www.edfenergy.com/energyfuture/generation-hydro

SOLAR POWER http://www.edfenergy.com/energyfuture/solar-generation

Wind http://www.edfenergy.com/energyfuture/generation-wind

http://www.edfenergy.com/energyfuture/generation-wind