Energizing Counties

Electrical Energy systems are classified in different ways based on the fuel source and type of by-products generated.

Conventional energy systems are powered by non-renewable fuels that will eventually deplete or will take millennia to regenerate naturally, like coal, natural gas, oil or nuclear power. Since the fuel here can be harvested and stored, the energy can be generated on demand. While the flexibility and reliability of fuel-based energy has many benefits, its generation also has some drawbacks, including danger to miners and workers and the release of particles and gases. Due to the logistics needed at every step from fuel extraction to transportation and usage, these systems are only used at large scale and are owned and operated by large industries.

Non-conventional energy systems are powered by renewable sources, like water (hydro), wind, solar, geothermal and tidal, that do not deplete. Because they produce negligible harmful by-products relative to conventional systems, they are often referred to as “clean energy” systems. Some of these sources can be intermittent and less reliable to our current grid system than conventional systems. However, the ease or absence of fuel management allows consumers and communities the flexibility to generate clean energy in their own backyard or rooftop and the ability to turn off and turn on the system as needed.

There are also other fuel sources that do not neatly fall into either of the categories above. For example, nuclear energy utilizes depletable fuel sources like Uranium but has minimal harmful emissions in the power generation process. However, the potency of nuclear fuels demands a very high level of caution in the handling of the fuel, operation of the generators and the disposal of the spent fuel. Bio-energy systems, such as wood-burning and waste-to-power generation, also fall into a different category since the fuel regenerates naturally in a reasonable amount of time. But burning this fuel creates harmful by-products that require management.

Regardless of source, energy generation is most efficient at the source of fuel and depends on a robust transmission and distribution network to transport the power to end users. With energy storage industry advances comes greater flexibility for when and how the energy is used regardless of how it was generated.

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