Power Station

Introduction

Energy is most often used in the context of energy resources, their development, consumption, depletion, and conservation. Since economic activities such as manufacturing and transportation can be energy intensive, energy efficiency, energy dependence, energy security and price are key concerns. Increased awareness of the effects of global warming has led to international debate and action for the reduction of greenhouse gases emissions.

In the context of natural science, energy can take several different forms: thermal, chemical, electrical, radiant, nuclear, etc. These are often grouped as being either kinetic energy or potential energy. Many of these forms can be readily transformed into another with the help of a device; from chemical energy to electrical energy using a battery, for example.

The concepts of energy and its transformations are useful in explaining natural processes. Meteorological phenomena like wind, rain, lightning and tornadoes all result from energy transformations brought about by solar energy on the planet. Life itself is critically dependent on biological energy transformations; organic chemical bonds are constantly broken and made to make the exchange and transformation of energy possible. Read more...

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About the same time, OPEC members agreed to use their leverage over the world price-setting mechanism for oil in order to quadruple world oil prices, after attempts at negotiation failed. Due to the dependence of the industrialized world on OPEC oil, these price increases were dramatically inflationary to the economies of the targeted countries, while at the same time suppressive of economic activity.

This increase in the price of oil had a dramatic effect on oil exporting nations, for the countries of the Middle East who had long been dominated by the industrial powers were seen to have acquired control of a vital commodity. The traditional flow of capital reversed as the oil exporting nations accumulated vast wealth. Meanwhile, the shock produced chaos in the West, and shares on the New York Stock Exchange lost $97 billion in value in six weeks. Read more...

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Did you know?

• Buildings constructed to the German Passivhaus standard use 75% to 95% less energy for space heating and cooling than current new buildings in the United States?

• The rate of worldwide energy consumption of the human race in 2004 was on average 15 TW (1 TW = 10¹² W), with 86.5% from burning fossil fuels?

• Crossing 4,000 km (2,500 miles), the Druzhba pipeline is the world's longest oil pipeline?

• Coal is ground to a powder before being burnt in fossil fuel power plants?

• Compact fluorescent lamps (pictured) use about 1/4 of the energy of normal incandescent light bulbs, and pay for themselves after about 500 hours of use?

• Nuclear power in France produces 78% of all the country's electricity - more than in any other nation?

• Positive lightning bolts are typically six to ten times more powerful than normal lightning — and aircraft are not designed to withstand them?

• Dark energy is a hypothetical form of energy which permeates all of space?

Selected biography

In recognition of Watt's achievements, the SI unit of power, the watt, is named after him.

James Watt was born on 19th of January, 1736 in Greenock, a seaport on the Firth of Clyde. His father was a shipwright, shipowner and contractor, while his mother, Agnes Muirhead, came from a distinguished family and was well-educated. Both were Presbyterians and strong Covenanters. Watt attended school irregularly and instead was mostly schooled at home by his mother.

After studying instrument-making for a year in London, the University of Glasgow offered him the opportunity to set up a small workshop within the university. It was established in 1757. After four years, Watt began to experiment with steam, finally producing a working model steam engine in 1765. Strapped for resources to develop a full-scale engine, Watt was forced to take up employment as a surveyor for eight years. Finally, in 1776, the first engines were installed and working in commercial enterprises.

After further improvements, Watt and foundry owner Matthew Boulton established Boulton and Watt in 1794 to exclusively manufacture steam engines. By 1824 it had produced 1,164 steam engines having a total nominal horsepower of about 26,000. Read more...

Energy news

• June 20, 2008: The Chinese government announced an increase in petrol prices of more than 16%, reducing the subsidies available under its policy in reaction to globally rising oil prices.
• June 15, 2008: European Wind Day 2008 organised by EWEA, with over 100 wind farms across Europe open to the public.
• May 28, 2008: Indonesia announced decision to quit OPEC.
• May 27, 2008: An unplanned shutdown at Sizewell B nuclear power station causes power outages in London.
• May 18, 2008: The annual Greasestock festival was held in Yorktown, New York, showcasing alternative fuel vehicles.
• May 13, 2008: Australia elected to limit solar rebates to those with an income of less than AU$100,000, estimated to cause reduction of solar installations by 60%.
• March 31, 2008: The United States appoints a Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy.
• March 7, 2008: Construction of the Medgaz pipeline between Algeria and Spain is started.

Quotations

• "Our decision about energy will test the character of the American people and the ability of the President and the Congress to govern this Nation. This difficult effort will be the 'moral equivalent of war', except that we will be uniting our efforts to build and not to destroy." – Jimmy Carter, 1977
• "For generations, we have assumed that the efforts of mankind would leave the fundamental equilibrium of the world's systems and atmosphere stable. But it is possible that with all these enormous changes (population, agricultural, use of fossil fuels) concentrated into such a short period of time, we have unwittingly begun a massive experiment with the system of this planet itself." – Margaret Thatcher, 1998
• "A great nation like the United States has a duty not to obstruct the fight against global warming but should, on the contrary, lead the combat, because what is at stake is the fate of all humanity." – Nicolas Sarkozy, 2007

Related portals

WikiProjects

WikiProjects connected with energy:

• WikiProject Energy
• Oil megaprojects task force

Other WikiProjects that may be of interest:

• WikiProject Environment
• WikiProject Biography

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