Electricity generation is the process of generating electric power from sources of primary energy. For utilities in the electric power industry, it is the stage prior to its delivery (transmission, distribution, etc.) to end users or storage such as batteries.
Electricity is not freely available in nature, so it must be “produced” by transforming other forms of energy to electricity. Production is carried out in power stations. Electricity is most often generated at a power plant by electromechanical generators, primarily driven by heat engines fueled by natural gas and coal or nuclear fission but also by other means such as the kinetic energy of flowing water and wind. Other energy generating sources include solar photovoltaics and geothermal power.
Phasing out coal-fired power stations and eventually gas-fired power stations, or capturing their greenhouse gas emissions, is an important part of the energy transformation required to limit climate change. Vastly more solar power and wind power is forecast to be required, with electricity demand increasing strongly with further electrification of transport, homes and industry. American Enerpower through Distributed Energy Resource Development can help clients achieve these goals.