Electricity ? the Fundamental in the Home - By: Tauqeer Hassan

Electricity in cables is a very convenient way of transporting energy. It is also fundamental to the quality of modern life: it can be produced in so many ways, and has so many uses for which there is no substitute. It can be produced by burning fossil fuels in generators, by using rainwater and the force of gravity (hydroelectric power), by wind turbines, and directly from the sun in photovoltaic cells. It travels almost instantaneously down power lines above or below ground.

Once it arrives at the place it is required, it can either be transformed into another type of energy, such as light or motive power, or used directly in computers or telecommunications. Heat is nearly always the end product of using electricity but there is increasing—and misguided—encouragement for householders to use electricity for central heating and water heating. The percentages of electricity produced from different fuel sources in the UK (1993) are approximately as follows:

Coal 40%
Oil 30%
Gas 20%
Nuclear 8%
Hydro 2%

It is possible to make a comparison between the different sources of fuel and the amount of C02 produced:

Fuel/Kg of C02 emitted per gigajoule delivered (approx)
Natural Gas 53.9
Domestic Oil 79
Domestic Coal 81.4
Electricity 141.6

From these it is possible to see just how polluting electricity is. The second shows that electricity produces almost three times the CO, pollution that natural gas does for the same amount of heat; almost twice as much as oil and coal. If we were to compare electricity generation purely from coal we would find an even worse picture: it is only because there is considerable electricity generation from oil, gas and nuclear power that the picture looks better. Besides the pollution from coal-fired power stations, much of the energy produced is thrown away in cooling towers. In addition there are energy losses in the national grid. It is for these reasons that the efficiency of electricity in terms of the carbon dioxide produced per giga¬joule of power is so very low.

What then would be a positive ecological strategy for the electricity industry? The following measures would all contribute:

• Drastically reduce the use of electricity for heating except where there is absolutely no ecological alternative.
• Introduce the latest energy-efficient technology in all areas of high elec¬trical usage.
The above savings in energy would be more than enough to enable the phasing out of inefficient existing coal-powered generating stations, and to bring the remaining up to a high standard of energy efficiency and of pollu¬tion control.
Also, waste heat should be used for district heating where possible.
• There should be massive investment in wind energy generation with a plan to replace electricity generation from carbon dioxide producing stations.
All the above measures are technically feasible today: it requires only the political will. The carrying out of these measures would mean that electricity users could then use electricity with a clear conscience. Paying the real price for it would also encourage care in its use and the development of more effi¬cient appliances.
Electricity, as it is presently generated, is a non-renewable energy source and the most polluting form of power in terms of the production of carbon dioxide and acid rain. It is only now beginning to be realised that the cost of conserving energy is far less than the real cost of producing it, let alone the cost of building new power stations.

About the Author

Now, you must have known about the importance of electricity, you must also know how to become an electrician and how to do electric are welding.

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