Electricity drives our world. In part one, we examined non-renewable sources of electricity, comparing their efficacy, environmental impact, cost, and reliability. Here, we will do the same with renewable sources of electricity, in an effort to establish the advantages and disadvantages of each type. Biofuel is a relative newcomer to the energy industry; biofuel plants […]
Category: Electrical Power
The Sources of Electricity, Part I
Electrical power is essential to the running of our modern society; if you’re reading this, you’re using electricity. How it’s generated is critical to long-term social well-being; the efficacity, reliability, cost, and environmental consequences of electricity generation must all be considered when evaluating the potential of any given source of power. The most commonly used […]
How The Power Grid Works
You flip a light switch, and the light turns on; the longer you have the lights on, the more your utility will charge you for power. Simple enough; how the electricity got to your house, though, is another thing altogether. Most people have a cursory idea of how the power grid works; there’s a power […]
What Caused That Blackout?
You’re sitting at home, enjoying a movie on Netflix with your partner – all of the sudden everything goes black. You check the breaker, but everything seems okay; you look out into the street and notice the streetlights are off. You get on your cell phone, which you’ve thankfully charged, and check the status of […]
The Smart Grid
Electricity is one of the most important commodities in the world. From lighting your reading lamp for a story before bedtime, to running the world’s largest hospitals, life without it is almost unfathomable. The electrical grids that we use have been expanded and maintained for over a century, with each interconnected sector evolving with new […]
Electricity and Bitcoin
You live in a small agricultural town in Washington State; electricity is cheap and plentiful because of a nearby dam that produces about six times more energy that your region can plausibly consume. Your power is subsidized, because the electricity the dam generates is sold at higher prices to neighboring regions. Not a lot happens […]