Guide to Electric Power Generation
Like water, food, and air, electrical energy has become an integral
part of daily personal and business lives. People have become so accus-
tomed to fl icking a switch and having instant light, action, or communica-
tion that little thought is given to the process that produces this electrical
energy or how it gets to where it is used. It is unique in that practically all
that is produced is not stored but used instantly in the quantities that are
needed. For alternatives to electrical energy, one must go back to the days
of gas lamps, oil lamps, candles, and steam- or water-powered mechani-
cal devices—and work days...