Electricity is produced from many different sources.
Without electricity, modern society would not be possible. And today we produce tremendous amounts of electricity from several different energy sources. Most of our energy comes from fossil fuels, but alternate sources are becoming more popular as nations attempt to move away from oil dependence and toward clean renewable energy.
Fossil Fuels
Over half of the word's electricity is produced from fossil fuels. And over half of that comes from coal, but oil and gas are also used. All produce electricity by burning the fuel to create steam to turn a turbine. Coal is the most heavily used, especially in the United States and China, accounting for over half of their energy production. However, concerns about pollution and the limited reserves of all fossil fuels mean their use in future decades will decrease.
Nuclear Power
Nuclear reactors supply 14 to 15 percent of the world's energy supply. Uranium is used in a fission reaction, which gives off heat, with almost no pollution released into atmosphere. Radiation is a potential hazard and components used in nuclear plants, along with some nuclear waste, must be carefully disposed off to prevent contamination or dangerous accidents like the Chernobyl meltdown in Ukraine.
Hydroelectric
Power is also produced by damming rivers and forcing water through pipes to turn turbines directly. Numerous dams, like the Hoover Dam or China's Three Gorges Dam, create massive man-made lakes that provide recreational areas, water reserves and nearly a sixth of the world's electricity. Apart from environmental impacts, hydroelectric power creates almost no pollution and is renewable provided the source of the river flow is stable.
Other Renewables
A small, but increasing, percentage, of the world's electricity is produced by wind turbines, solar collectors, biomass generators and geothermal power. Solar and wind are experiencing the most growth, especially in the United States, because both solar cells and wind generators can be installed on individual properties. Geothermal is particularly popular in volcanic regions like Iceland, while biomass fuels are produced from recycled agricultural waste or even directly from crops like ethanol.
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