Fossil Fuels:
Coal, oil, or gas is burned in a boiler; water is heated to produce steam. Steam spins a
turbine connected to a generator, converting mechanical energy into electricity.
Pros: Reliable, supports large-scale power, widely available.
Cons: Non-renewable, polluting, contributes to climate change, resource depletion.
Biofuels:
Organic matter is burned or otherwise processed into fuels, including ethanol.
Combustion heats water to produce steam for turbines.
Pros: Renewable, reduces waste, can be locally sourced.
Disadvantages: Requires large areas of land, less energy produced, competes with food
production.
Water (Hydro, Tides, Waves):
The flow of water in hydroelectric dams generates electricity by driving the turbines.
Tidal and wave energy do the same by the ocean's movements.
Advantages: Clean, renewable, and baseload capable
Disadvantages: Causes environmental disruption, dependent on site locations; building
costs are very high.
Geothermal:
Steam and hot water produced by Earth's core heat and turn turbines.
Advantages: Low emission, reliable, and output constant.
Disadvantages: Location-specific, high initial set-up cost, seismic activity possible.
Nuclear Fuel:
Nuclear fission heats up water; it produces steam responsible for driving turbines.
Advantages: Very efficient, minimal greenhouse gases.
Disadvantages: Radioactive waste, safety-related risks, high costs.
Solar Cells:
PV cells convert sunlight into electricity directly.
Advantages: Renewable, low maintenance, silent operation.
Disadvantages: The energy depends on the weather conditions, relatively low efficiency,
expensive storage.
Solar Panels & Wind:
Solar panels heat up water or air. Wind turbines transfer wind into mechanical energy.
Both types drive generators.
Advantages: Clean, abundant resource, very low operational cost.
Disadvantages: Intermittent energy, space-intensive, may kill wildlife (wind).
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