How​ ​Electricity​ ​Is​ ​Made​ ​And​ ​Delivered​ ​To​ ​Your House

What​ ​Exactly​ ​is​ ​Electricity Before​ ​we​ ​even​ ​start​ ​with​ ​how​ ​electricity​ ​is​ ​generated​ ​and​ ​transported​ ​to​ ​your​ ​house,​ ​we​ ​need to​ ​define​ ​what​ ​electricity​ ​is.​ ​Think​ ​of​ ​electricity​ ​as​ ​water​ ​flowing​ ​through​ ​a​ ​pipe​ ​or​ ​garden​ ​hose. The​ ​water​ ​is​ ​really​ ​electrons​ ​in​ ​the​ ​metal​ ​that​ ​makes​ ​up​ ​the​ ​wire.​ ​The​ ​hose​ ​is​ ​the​ ​wire​ ​that transports​ ​the​ ​water​ ​(electricity).​ ​There​ ​are​ ​all​ ​kinds​ ​of​ ​fancy​ ​definitions,​ ​but​ ​that​ ​is​ ​the​ ​basics.​ ​If you​ ​want​ ​to​ ​know​ ​more,​ ​check​ ​out​ ​the​ ​Encyclopedia​ ​Definition​ ​of​ ​Electricity

How​ ​is​ ​Electricity​ ​Generated​ ​and​ ​Delivered​ ​to​ ​your​ ​Home The​ ​first​ ​step​ ​is​ ​to​ ​create​ ​electricity​ ​at​ ​a​ ​power​ ​plant.​ ​Basically,​ ​electricity​ ​is​ ​created​ ​by​ ​magnets spinning​ ​inside​ ​of​ ​a​ ​whole​ ​bunch​ ​of​ ​wires.​ ​The​ ​magnets​ ​spinning​ ​around​ ​cause​ ​electrons​ ​to move​ ​which​ ​creates​ ​electricity.​ ​What​ ​varies​ ​for​ ​each​ ​type​ ​of​ ​power​ ​plant​ ​is​ ​what​ ​causes​ ​the

magnets​ ​to​ ​spin​ ​(see​ ​sections​ ​on​ ​steam​ ​turbines​ ​and​ ​wind​ ​and​ ​water​ ​powered​ ​generators).​ ​This electricity​ ​producing​ ​machine​ ​is​ ​called​ ​a​ ​generator.​ ​The​ ​power​ ​created​ ​is​ ​measured​ ​in​ ​volts.​ ​You use​ ​120​ ​volts​ ​in​ ​your​ ​house,​ ​but​ ​the​ ​voltage​ ​levels​ ​on​ ​the​ ​power​ ​lines​ ​can​ ​be​ ​300,000​ ​to 400,000​ ​volts​ ​or​ ​even​ ​more.​ ​Voltages​ ​are​ ​changed​ ​by​ ​devices​ ​called​ ​transformers​ ​which​ ​raise voltages​ ​at​ ​some​ ​points​ ​and​ ​lowering​ ​them​ ​at​ ​other​ ​times. After​ ​leaving​ ​the​ ​power​ ​plant,​ ​electricity​ ​is​ ​transported​ ​on​ ​power​ ​lines.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​more​ ​efficient​ ​to transport​ ​high​ ​voltages​ ​so​ ​the​ ​voltage​ ​on​ ​the​ ​lines​ ​is​ ​very​ ​high.​ ​Power​ ​lines​ ​form​ ​a​ ​huge​ ​system or​ ​grid​ ​that​ ​attaches​ ​everybody's​ ​house​ ​and​ ​business​ ​to​ ​the​ ​power​ ​plants.​ ​In​ ​the​ ​United​ ​States, virtually​ ​the​ ​entire​ ​country​ ​is​ ​attached​ ​to​ ​the​ ​same​ ​grid.​ ​Texas​ ​is​ ​almost​ ​separate,​ ​but​ ​there​ ​are still​ ​a​ ​couple​ ​ties​ ​into​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​the​ ​grid.​ ​All​ ​power​ ​plants​ ​add​ ​electricity​ ​into​ ​the​ ​system​ ​so​ ​if one​ ​plant​ ​goes​ ​down,​ ​there​ ​is​ ​still​ ​electricity​ ​because​ ​the​ ​other​ ​plants​ ​just​ ​put​ ​a​ ​little​ ​more​ ​in. The​ ​power​ ​lines​ ​deliver​ ​voltage​ ​to​ ​transformers​ ​(usually​ ​a​ ​series​ ​of​ ​transformers)​ ​to​ ​change (step​ ​down)​ ​the​ ​voltage​ ​to​ ​120V​ ​for​ ​you​ ​to​ ​use​ ​in​ ​your​ ​house.​ ​At​ ​your​ ​house,​ ​the​ ​power​ ​comes to​ ​one​ ​spot​ ​before​ ​being​ ​sent​ ​out​ ​to​ ​the​ ​rest​ ​of​ ​your​ ​house.​ ​This​ ​one​ ​common​ ​point​ ​is​ ​either​ ​a fuse​ ​box​ ​or​ ​a​ ​breaker​ ​box​ ​depending​ ​on​ ​how​ ​old​ ​your​ ​house​ ​is. Well,​ ​that​ ​is​ ​the​ ​basics​ ​of​ ​where​ ​electricity​ ​comes​ ​from.​ ​Read​ ​on​ ​to​ ​learn​ ​some​ ​more​ ​details. What​ ​is​ ​a​ ​Steam​ ​Turbine​ ​and​ ​How​ ​Does​ ​it​ ​Help​ ​Get​ ​Electricity​ ​to​ ​my​ ​House? Most​ ​traditional​ ​electricity​ ​is​ ​generated​ ​using​ ​steam.​ ​Steam​ ​turbines​ ​are​ ​used​ ​to​ ​spin​ ​the magnets​ ​inside​ ​the​ ​coils​ ​of​ ​wire​ ​in​ ​the​ ​generator.​ ​The​ ​process​ ​starts​ ​with​ ​a​ ​boiler​ ​that​ ​heats water​ ​to​ ​create​ ​steam.​ ​The​ ​steam​ ​flows​ ​to​ ​the​ ​turbine​ ​causing​ ​it​ ​to​ ​spin.​ ​Picture​ ​water​ ​running over​ ​a​ ​water​ ​wheel​ ​and​ ​you​ ​have​ ​the​ ​concept.​ ​Steam​ ​flows​ ​through​ ​the​ ​pipes​ ​just​ ​like​ ​water through​ ​a​ ​hose.​ ​This​ ​spins​ ​the​ ​magnets​ ​inside​ ​the​ ​generator​ ​which​ ​creates​ ​electricity.​ ​There​ ​is​ ​a fantastic​ ​page​ ​the​ ​shows​ ​how​ ​electricity​ ​is​ ​created​ ​by​ ​a​ ​steam​ ​turbine​ ​It​ ​has​ ​a​ ​really​ ​cool graphical​ ​overview​ ​with​ ​some​ ​animations​ ​and​ ​information​ ​on​ ​each​ ​step​ ​of​ ​the​ ​process. What​ ​varies​ ​in​ ​the​ ​steam​ ​turbine​ ​type​ ​of​ ​energy​ ​generation​ ​is​ ​what​ ​powers​ ​the​ ​boiler. Traditionally,​ ​fossil​ ​fuels​ ​like​ ​coal​ ​or​ ​oil​ ​are​ ​burned​ ​to​ ​create​ ​the​ ​heat​ ​needed​ ​to​ ​generate​ ​steam. While​ ​these​ ​resources​ ​are​ ​currently​ ​abundant,​ ​they​ ​will​ ​eventually​ ​run​ ​out​ ​and​ ​they​ ​pollute​ ​the environment.​ ​A​ ​more​ ​modern​ ​and​ ​potentially​ ​dangerous​ ​method​ ​of​ ​heating​ ​water​ ​to​ ​create steam​ ​is​ ​a​ ​nuclear​ ​reactor.​ ​They​ ​can​ ​be​ ​very​ ​efficient,​ ​but​ ​have​ ​the​ ​potential​ ​for​ ​almost unparalleled​ ​disaster.​ ​The​ ​next​ ​section​ ​will​ ​go​ ​over​ ​some​ ​natural​ ​ways​ ​to​ ​generate​ ​electricity that​ ​are​ ​starting​ ​to​ ​become​ ​more​ ​popular.​ ​Many​ ​energy​ ​companies​ ​like​ ​Ambit​ ​Energy​ ​in​ ​Texas offer​ ​environmentally​ ​friendly​ ​power​ ​at​ ​competitive​ ​rates.

Alternate,​ ​Environmentally​ ​Friendly​ ​Methods​ ​of​ ​Generating​ ​Electricity

There​ ​are​ ​a​ ​couple​ ​different​ ​methods​ ​of​ ​generating​ ​electricity​ ​being​ ​used​ ​today.​ ​They​ ​use centuries​ ​old​ ​technology​ ​to​ ​turn​ ​the​ ​turn​ ​the​ ​magnets​ ​in​ ​the​ ​generators.​ ​First​ ​you​ ​have​ ​wind power​ ​being​ ​harnessed​ ​by​ ​large​ ​windmills.​ ​This​ ​type​ ​of​ ​power​ ​is​ ​usually​ ​used​ ​to​ ​supplement fossil​ ​fuel​ ​generated​ ​power​ ​or​ ​even​ ​power​ ​small​ ​communities,​ ​but​ ​it​ ​has​ ​not​ ​become "mainstream"​ ​as​ ​they​ ​say.​ ​You​ ​also​ ​have​ ​huge​ ​hydroelectric​ ​power​ ​plants​ ​that​ ​harness​ ​the power​ ​of​ ​moving​ ​water​ ​to​ ​generate​ ​electricity.​ ​Certain​ ​areas​ ​of​ ​the​ ​country​ ​use​ ​entirely​ ​water generated​ ​electricity.​ ​Both​ ​of​ ​these​ ​methods​ ​can​ ​be​ ​very​ ​expensive​ ​to​ ​start​ ​up,​ ​but​ ​the​ ​power plants​ ​don't​ ​need​ ​to​ ​continue​ ​to​ ​buy​ ​fuel​ ​to​ ​burn​ ​to​ ​heat​ ​the​ ​water​ ​and​ ​make​ ​steam.​ ​They​ ​are only​ ​good​ ​in​ ​certain​ ​areas​ ​because​ ​if​ ​there​ ​is​ ​no​ ​wind​ ​or​ ​water​ ​there​ ​is​ ​no​ ​potential​ ​for generating​ ​electricity​ ​this​ ​way. Some​ ​companies,​ ​like​ ​Ambit​ ​Energy​ ​in​ ​Texas​ ​and​ ​New​ ​York​ ​,​ ​allow​ ​you​ ​to​ ​sign​ ​up​ ​for​ ​"green" energy​ ​plans​ ​at​ ​competitive​ ​rates.​ ​This​ ​type​ ​of​ ​program​ ​uses​ ​energy​ ​that​ ​is​ ​partially​ ​or​ ​fully purchased​ ​from​ ​wind,​ ​water,​ ​or​ ​even​ ​sun​ ​powered​ ​electric​ ​generators.​ ​Check​ ​it​ ​out​ ​if​ ​you​ ​are interested​ ​in​ ​helping​ ​to​ ​reduce​ ​the​ ​use​ ​of​ ​fossil​ ​fuels.

Make​ ​Money​ ​with​ ​Electricity There​ ​is​ ​a​ ​new​ ​aspect​ ​to​ ​the​ ​electricity​ ​business​ ​in​ ​the​ ​United​ ​States.​ ​New​ ​companies​ ​are starting​ ​that​ ​allow​ ​anybody​ ​to​ ​get​ ​involved​ ​in​ ​the​ ​retail​ ​sales​ ​of​ ​electricity. These​ ​companies​ ​pay​ ​marketing​ ​consultants​ ​to​ ​advertise​ ​and​ ​get​ ​new​ ​customers​ ​instead​ ​of paying​ ​for​ ​expensive​ ​advertising​ ​campaigns.​ ​One​ ​of​ ​the​ ​best​ ​companies​ ​offering​ ​this​ ​kind​ ​of small​ ​home​ ​based​ ​business​ ​is​ ​Ambit​ ​Energy​ ​based​ ​in​ ​Dallas,​ ​Texas.​ ​Ambit​ ​currently​ ​serves Texas,​ ​New​ ​York,​ ​and​ ​will​ ​start​ ​serving​ ​Illinois​ ​in​ ​2008.​ ​Several​ ​other​ ​states​ ​will​ ​soon​ ​follow. Where​ ​does​ ​the​ ​Electric​ ​Company​ ​Fit​ ​into​ ​This? There​ ​are​ ​a​ ​couple​ ​different​ ​ways​ ​your​ ​local​ ​electric​ ​company​ ​fits​ ​into​ ​the​ ​picture.​ ​First,​ ​you have​ ​the​ ​traditional​ ​monopolistic​ ​method.​ ​This​ ​is​ ​the​ ​way​ ​it​ ​has​ ​been​ ​done​ ​for​ ​a​ ​hundred​ ​years without​ ​change.​ ​There​ ​is​ ​also​ ​a​ ​new,​ ​deregulated​ ​way​ ​electric​ ​companies​ ​fit​ ​into​ ​the​ ​picture. Originally,​ ​electric​ ​utilities​ ​were​ ​set​ ​up​ ​as​ ​monopolies.​ ​One​ ​company​ ​owned​ ​everything​ ​from​ ​the steam​ ​turbines​ ​generating​ ​electricity​ ​to​ ​the​ ​transformers​ ​to​ ​the​ ​power​ ​lines​ ​that​ ​delivered electricity​ ​right​ ​to​ ​your​ ​house.​ ​The​ ​problem​ ​with​ ​this​ ​and​ ​all​ ​monopolies​ ​is​ ​that​ ​the​ ​electric company​ ​can​ ​charge​ ​you​ ​anything​ ​they​ ​want​ ​because​ ​there​ ​is​ ​nobody​ ​else​ ​you​ ​can​ ​buy​ ​from. Fortunately,​ ​the​ ​government​ ​recognizes​ ​this​ ​as​ ​a​ ​potential​ ​problem​ ​and​ ​has​ ​very​ ​strict​ ​laws governing​ ​prices. A​ ​new​ ​electric​ ​distribution​ ​model​ ​has​ ​emerged​ ​in​ ​the​ ​last​ ​few​ ​years.​ ​It​ ​is​ ​a​ ​deregulated​ ​business model​ ​where​ ​multiple​ ​companies​ ​sell​ ​electricity​ ​and​ ​have​ ​to​ ​compete​ ​for​ ​customers.​ ​In​ ​this model,​ ​one​ ​company​ ​or​ ​set​ ​of​ ​companies​ ​owns​ ​the​ ​power​ ​plants​ ​while​ ​a​ ​different​ ​set​ ​of companies​ ​is​ ​responsible​ ​for​ ​selling​ ​the​ ​electricity.​ ​Some​ ​states​ ​like​ ​Texas,​ ​New​ ​York,​ ​and​ ​soon Illinois​ ​allow​ ​non-monopolistic​ ​companies​ ​to​ ​essentially​ ​buy​ ​electricity​ ​from​ ​the​ ​power​ ​plants​ ​and

sell​ ​it​ ​to​ ​consumers.​ ​In​ ​the​ ​place​ ​of​ ​large​ ​companies,​ ​small​ ​companies​ ​even​ ​individual​ ​people become​ ​Energy​ ​Consultants​ ​and​ ​are​ ​making​ ​a​ ​ton​ ​of​ ​money.​ ​This​ ​allows​ ​a​ ​lot​ ​of​ ​people​ ​to​ ​profit from​ ​energy​ ​instead​ ​of​ ​just​ ​one​ ​large​ ​monopolistic​ ​company. There​ ​are​ ​good​ ​points​ ​for​ ​both​ ​models.​ ​In​ ​the​ ​government​ ​regulated,​ ​monopolistic​ ​model,​ ​prices can​ ​be​ ​kept​ ​low​ ​if​ ​the​ ​government​ ​sets​ ​prices​ ​fairly.​ ​This​ ​can​ ​actually​ ​lead​ ​to​ ​lower​ ​prices​ ​than the​ ​deregulated,​ ​open​ ​market​ ​system.​ ​However,​ ​in​ ​the​ ​deregulated,​ ​open​ ​market​ ​system, companies​ ​have​ ​to​ ​compete​ ​for​ ​customers​ ​by​ ​offering​ ​better​ ​service​ ​and​ ​the​ ​lowest​ ​prices available.​ ​To​ ​offer​ ​low​ ​prices,​ ​companies​ ​have​ ​to​ ​be​ ​more​ ​efficient.​ ​This​ ​is​ ​ultimately​ ​best​ ​for everybody​ ​and​ ​in​ ​the​ ​long​ ​run,​ ​will​ ​lead​ ​to​ ​better​ ​prices​ ​even​ ​if​ ​it​ ​seems​ ​to​ ​be​ ​more​ ​expensive​ ​at first.​ ​If​ ​you​ ​do​ ​have​ ​a​ ​choice,​ ​you​ ​should​ ​definitely​ ​check​ ​out​ ​your​ ​alternatives​ ​to​ ​see​ ​what​ ​is best​ ​for​ ​you. Recommended​ ​Resouces: https://goo.gl/P8HF9c https://goo.gl/AN5Q93 https://goo.gl/vCpgH8 https://goo.gl/if4CLD https://goo.gl/1Laijn https://goo.gl/YhiWtk https://goo.gl/DicuXz https://goo.gl/Hig2QF https://goo.gl/fnLkF2 https://goo.gl/3LbDXa https://goo.gl/HMKMdN https://goo.gl/5AvCbj https://goo.gl/T57Pso https://goo.gl/TgzU9Z https://goo.gl/tSUK3z https://goo.gl/eUXmpV https://goo.gl/ta8yLR https://goo.gl/YGqmL6 https://goo.gl/WoV3to https://goo.gl/5itjyN https://goo.gl/K6G8So https://goo.gl/wqiPsK https://goo.gl/NdtjNZ https://goo.gl/LJNds3 https://goo.gl/kswZjq https://goo.gl/76VazT https://goo.gl/3BmqxT

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