Electricity demand will rise much faster than overall energy growth in the coming decades, the IEA projects.
fortune.com
If you want to transmit and distribute energy as electricity you must first make electricity from potential energy with generators.
Coal fired plants - 30 to 45% efficient with the norm being closer to 33%
Gas fired plants - 30 to 60% efficient with the norm, again, being closer to 33%
Nuclear plants - 33 to 37% efficient
Wind plants - Turbines are 40 to 60% efficient but the wind is only available 35 to 40% of the time - 40% of 40% is 16% efficient
Solar plants - Panels are 20 to 30% efficient when the sun shines
Water plants - Turbines are 90% efficient but:
high initial costs, significant environmental impact on ecosystems and fish, displacement of local communities, dependence on water availability which can be affected by droughts, and limited suitable locations for construction.
Transmission line losses - about 0.35% per 100 km
Hydro is great if there is water available and it is located in your general vicinity.
Beyond that fuelling up your highly efficient electric car or your AI server starts with a process that is only 30% efficient in harvesting available energy and converting it to usable electricity.
If you want more electricity you are going to need a lot more of something.
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The biggest waste would be using electricity to generate heat and heat is a greater survival requirement than lights, cars and computers.
Putting thermal plants in towns makes sense
Putting thermal plants that can also generate electricity in towns makes more sense.
Putting thermal plants that can also generate electricity and incinerate waste in town makes even more sense.
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