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home:
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About Electricity
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The ubiquitous energy that powers the world is created
through the conversion of other energy resources.
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Introduction |
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U.S. Resources |
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U.S. Demand |
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World Resources |
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World Demand |
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Introduction |
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Electricity is the flow of electrons (negatively charged
particles) through a conductor. While electricity exists
in nature, it is the electric power that is generated by
human effort that makes our modern life possible. In the
future, the majority of the world's electricity may be produced
by solar cells or nuclear fusion. Until
then (and then could be a long time in coming), America
and the rest of the world will get its electricity
primarily through the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels
(coal, oil, natural gas), nuclear fission, and from
renewable resources (hydro, geothermal, wind, biomass,
and solar). |
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U.S. Resources |
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The electric power system in the United States is the largest in
the world. In fact, with over 800,000 MWe of installed
capacity, America has more than twice the
generating capacity of China, our nearest competitor. According
to the Energy Information
Administration (EIA), the electricity generated in
America in 2002 came from the following sources: |
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Coal |
50% |
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Nuclear |
20% |
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Natural Gas |
18% |
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Hydro |
07% |
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Other |
05% |
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The precise "mix" of resources utilized
in the generation of electricity changes from
year-to-year, depending upon public policies and market
factors. For example, as a result of stricter air
pollution regulations, most new electrical
generating capacity installed in the United States in
recent years have been designed to use natural gas, a
clean-burning fuel. An unanticipated consequence of the
switch to natural gas has been to substantially increase demand for
that fuel. Thus, the price of natural gas has reached a
level where other clean sources of electricity -- such as coal
gasification and renewables -- are receiving heightened
interest by utility decision-makers and government
officials. |
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U.S. Demand |
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Electricity is consumed in great quantity
by every sector of the American economy -- industrial,
commercial, and residential. Statistics about
electricity consumption compiled in 2002 by the EIA
showed the following breakdown: |
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Residential |
36% |
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Commercial |
32% |
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Industrial |
29% |
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Other |
03% |
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The EIA predicts that total electricity
demand will grow by 1.8% to 1.9% percent per year
through 2025. To keep pace with this demand and to
replace aging facilities, the United States must add
nearly 400,000 MWe of new capacity over the next 20
years. |
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World Resources |
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The precise mixture of energy sources used
to generate electricity around the world changes over
time. The EIA makes the following interesting
observations and predictions: |
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Coal is projected to continue to retain the largest
market share of electricity generation, but its
importance is expected to be diminished somewhat by the
rise in natural gas use. In 2025, coal is expected to
account for 31 percent of the world’s electricity fuel
market, slightly lower than its 34 percent share in
2001. |
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Continued increases in the use of natural gas for
electricity generation are expected worldwide. (
Examples ) |
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Renewable energy, predominantly hydropower, accounted
for one-fifth of the world’s energy use for electricity
generation in 2001, where it is expected to remain
through 2025. |
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The nuclear share of energy use for electricity
production is expected to decline in most regions of the
world as a result of public opposition, waste disposal
issues, concerns about nuclear arms proliferation, and
the economics of nuclear power. The nuclear share of
electricity generation worldwide is projected to drop to
12 percent in 2025 from 19 percent in 2001. |
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The role of oil in the world’s electricity generation
market has been on the decline since the 1979 oil price
shock. Oil accounted for 23 percent of electricity fuel
use in 1977; in 2001 its share stood at 7 percent.
The oil share of world energy use for electricity
production is projected to remain stable at between 6
and 7 percent through 2025. |
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World Demand |
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Worldwide net electricity consumption in
2001 was estimated to be 13.9 trillion kilowatt-hours.
If global electricity demand grows at the average annual
rate of 2.4 percent predicted by the EIA, 24.7 trillion
kilowatt-hours would be consumed in 2025. However, the
global average rate will be exceeded in countries with
rapidly expanding economies. |
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China's electricity consumption, for example, is
projected to nearly triple over the next two decades,
growing by an average of 4.3 percent per year. |
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