Diesel-engine generators (also known as gen-sets) consist of a diesel engine and a generator. Given that they provide an independent means of generating electricity, they are a popular choice at production sites in remote areas or as emergency power supplies for major banks, hospitals, airports and even entire towns or cities. Indeed, a number of countries and island states produce the majority of their electricity using diesel-engine generators.
In steam power plants, the thermal energy contained in water vapour is used to power a steam turbine which in turn drives the generator. In the process, conventional fuels such as oil, natural gas, hard coal or brown coal are used to fire the steam boiler. In coal-fired power plants, coal is the only fuel used, whereas waste incineration facilities can also use treated waste in order to generate electricity.
In gas-turbine power plants, flammable gases are used to drive turbines. These turbines are in turn connected to generators which actually produce the electricity. In gas and steam combination power plants, the heat generated by the gas turbines is also used to produce steam for the steam turbines. Small gas power plants (socalled combined heat and power plants) use an internal combustion engine instead of a turbine to drive the generator. These combined heat and power plants are frequently used in order...
In hydroelectric power plants, the mechanical energy of the water is converted into electrical current using turbines and generators connected to them. Given that the effective head varies, a distinction is made between low, medium and high-pressure power plants. Similarly, there are run-of-river plants as well as storage plants (including pumped-storage plants) depending on the way in which the available water is used.
Although they belong to the group of steam power plants, nuclear power plants are mentioned here separately as they obtain the energy they need to heat steam through splitting atoms rather than through burning fossil fuels.