Abstract
In this chapter we discuss how electricity generators work. Michael Faraday was the father of electricity generation. Almost 200 years ago, he discovered electromagnetic induction. Induction is the principle behind our modern electricity generators and transformers that are the backbone of our electricity networks. We will discuss, in simple terms, how generators work. We then discuss the different types of engines that can drive generators and the different energy sources used by the different engines. Finally, we compare these different engine types and introduce the term “capacity factor” which is critical to understanding the difference between the engines.
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Notes
- 1.
A semiconductor has an electrical conductivity between a conductor and an insulator.
- 2.
To calculate the electrical energy Power Makers can get from 1 MW of generator power in a full year we multiply the number of MW by the number of hours in a year. There are 24 × 365 = 8,760 h in a year so at 100% capacity factor we would get 8,760 MWh of electricity from each MW of generator power. At 80% capacity factor every MW of coal power would produce 8,760 × 0.8 = 7,008 MWh of electricity in the year but every MW of wind power would only produce 8,760 × 0.3 = 2,628 MWh. Each MW of wind power is only worth 37.5% of a MW of coal power.
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© 2012 Springer-Verlag London
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Nicholson, M. (2012). Faraday’s Miracle. In: The Power Makers' Challenge. Green Energy and Technology. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-2813-7_2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-2813-7_2
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Publisher Name: Springer, London
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Online ISBN: 978-1-4471-2813-7
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