In the United States today, nearly all of our electricity is produced by fossil-

Question

In the United States today, nearly all of our electricity is

produced by fossil-fuel power plants burning coal or natural

gas, nuclear power plants, and hydroelectric power plants.

Using the Internet, determine the percent contributions of

these types of electricity generation to the U.S. total. For each

of the four types, determine at least three significant

environmental considerations associated with it and how such

environmental aspects affect the respective plant design,

operation, and cost. Write a report with at least three references.

Explanation / Answer

Major energy sources and percent share of total U.S. electricity generation .

Coal = 33% , Natural gas = 33% , Nuclear = 20% , Hydropower = 6% .

The United States generated about 4 trillion kilowatthours of electricity. About 67% of the electricity generated was from fossil fuels (coal, natural gas, and petroleum).

Nuclear power plants produce electricity with nuclear fission to create steam that spins a turbine to generate electricity. Most U.S. nuclear power plants are located in states east of the Mississippi River. Nuclear power was used to generate nearly 20% of all U.S. electricity in 2015.

Hydropower, the source of about 6% of U.S. electricity generation in 2015, is a process in which flowing water is used to spin a turbine connected to a generator. Most hydropower is produced at large facilities built by the federal government, like the Grand Coulee Dam.

In addition to being burned to heat water for steam, natural gas can also be burned to produce hot combustion gases that pass directly through a natural gas turbine, spinning the turbine's blades to generate electricity.

In a steam turbine, steam is forced against a series of blades mounted on a shaft. The steam rotates the shaft connected to the generator. The generator, in turn, converts its mechanical energy to electrical energy based on the relationship between magnetism and electricity.

There are several key factors that influence the price of electricity:

1) Fuel costs can vary based on the per unit cost, such as dollars per ton for coal or thousand cubic feet for natural gas, and the relative cost, in dollars per million British thermal unit equivalent.

2) Each power plant has construction, maintenance, and operating costs.

3) Maintaining and using the transmission system to deliver electricity contributes to the cost of electricity.

4) Rain and snow can provide water for low-cost hydropower generation. Extreme temperatures can increase the demand for electricity, especially for cooling. Severe weather can also damage power lines and add costs to maintain the electricity grid.

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