Sustainable Methods for Electricity Generation

Electricity is very important to modern society. Without it, most of us would be left in the dark – literally. The most common method of producing electricity is to change mechanical energy (the turning of turbines), into electrical energy, through the use of electromagnetic induction. Electricity can also be obtained directly from sunlight inside solar cells, using the photovoltaic effect.

Electromagnetic Induction

Michael Faraday discovered electromagnetic induction in 1831. In a simple generator, copper wire is passed though an electric field (or conversely a magnet can be moved past copper wire), causing electricity to be produced. Click here to view a cool moving diagram of a simple generator. The mechanical energy needed to move the wire (or magnet) can come from a variety of sources including running water (hydro), wind, and steam heated by various means.

Hydro

The movement of the water in the river causes massive turbines to turn, providing the mechanical movement needed to power the generators producing electricity. Hydro power is a renewable resource and causes virtually no pollution once initially established. There is some disruption of the natural environment however, as the area upstream to the dam is flooded. This flooding causes mercury from decaying plant matter to enter the water and be absorbed by the aquatic animals. Contaminated fish will pass mercury up the food chain to animals and humans. Mercury is a toxic element that can cause birth defects and other health problems. Mercury content in the water, and, as a result, in the fish, decreases over time. The solution to this issue is to refrain from eating fish from that river until mercury levels return to normal. The only lasting negative effect of a hydro installation is that the natural movement of aquatic wildlife is constricted by the dam, which can be a problem to migrating species.

Wind

Wind power is a natural and renewable resource. Wind power causes no pollution. The wind turns giant propeller-like turbines, providing the needed mechanical energy to power the electricity-producing generators. Checkout our post on the St Leon Wind Farm or our Wind Power section.

Steam

Traditional substances, such as coal, or alternative fuels, primarily biomass fuels such as ethanol and biodiesel (vegetable oils), are burned to heat water into steam. As the steam rises, it turns the generator creating the ele

ctric power. Biomass fuels are renewable but do release carbon dioxide into the air – unless you’re talking about algae oil, then that’s another matter altogether.

Photovoltaic Effect

The photovoltaic effect was discovered in 1839 and named after Volta, a scientist who studied electricity. Solar cells are complex, manufactured flat panels, usually composed of silicon, that convert sunlight directly into electricity. Solar power is also a form of renewable energy.