A lot of the time, we look at the nitty gritty details of one technology or another in alternative energy. I have wondered what are all the ways we can use to generate power.<\/p>\n
The list is remarkably small.<\/p>\n
1. Spin a generator.
\n2. Have sunlight hit photovoltaics.<\/p>\n
Wind power, hydro power, coal, nuclear and thermal solar all spin a generator. So in a way, they are all the same technique. A generator is a very simple machine. It is simply some magnets with spinning wire. The generator itself is about 35% efficient. This means that for 100% of the power used, 35% of it get transformed into electricity.<\/p>\n
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Photovoltaics work by having sunlight excite atoms on a plate thus loosening electrons and creating electricity. Photovoltaics are about 20% efficient.<\/p>\n
All electricity is is a bunch of moving electrons. So if someone came up with a different way of getting electron to move, we would have a different way to generate electricity.<\/p>\n
Sounds simple, doesn’t it?<\/p>\n
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