What is a power station?

Answer 1

A power station is a facility that converts some form of mechanical, chemical, or nuclear energy into electrical energy. The electrical energy generated is commonly called the "power". Mechanical sources of energy at power stations generally include wind and water. Chemical sources almost always involve the burning of a fuel, such as coal, natural gas, and gasoline. Nuclear power stations generally only use Uranium (U235). Other sources of energy include geothermal, solar, and tidal. Except for direct energy-to-energy conversion systems, such as photovoltaic (solar) cells, power is almost always generated by harnessing the mechanical, chemical, or nuclear energy to rotate a generator shaft, and the generator converts the rotational mechanical energy into electricity. Mechanical power stations harness this energy directly when a windmill spins in the breeze, or when a turbine spins as falling water passes through it. Chemical and nuclear generators usually heat water into steam, and then drive the high-pressure steam through turbines which turn the generators. Energy sources for power generation are often grouped into renewable and non-renewable categories. Renewable energy power generation stations do not consume the source of energy. A hydroelectric (water) power generation station, for example, does not consume the water that drives the turbines - the water continues along its route and ultimately rejoins the ecosystem. Similarly, solar power, geothermal power, and wind power do not consume the sources of energy. Non-renewable energy sources are consumed by the power station. Coal and Uranium, for example, are consumed by the power stations, and the Earth's total reserves of that material is permanently depleted by the amount consumed.