Energy
Electric Power
A
merica – and much of the world
-- is becoming increasingly electri-
fied. Today, more than half of the
electricity generated in the United States
comes from coal. For the foreseeable fu-
ture, coal will continue to be the dominant
fuel used for electric power production.
The low cost and abundance of coal is one
of the primary reasons why consumers in
the United States benefit from some of the
lowest electricity rates of any free-market
economy.
The Department’s Office of Fossil
Energy is working on ways to keep coal
in America’s electricity future. The key
challenge is to remove the environmental
objections to the use of coal in tomorrow’s
power plants. New technologies being
developed in the Fossil Energy program
could virtually eliminate the sulfur, ni-
trogen, and mercury pollutants released
when coal is burned. It may also be pos-
sible to capture greenhouse gases emitted
from coal-fired power plants and prevent
them from contributing to global warming
concerns.
Research is also underway to increase
the fuel efficiency of coal-fueled power
plants. Today’s plants convert only a gy sponsors R&D programs aimed at of the Office of Electricity Delivery and
third of coal’s energy potential to elec- maintaining the operating capability of Energy Reliability is to lead national ef-
tricity. New technologies in Energy’s the nation’s existing nuclear power plants fort to modernize the electric grid, enhan-
Fossil Energy program could nearly dou- and developing the next generation of nu- ce security and reliability of the energy in-
ble efficiency levels in the next 10-15 ye- clear technologies. Nuclear energy is our frastructure, and facilitate recovery from
ars. Higher efficiencies mean even more nation’s largest source of emission-free disruptions to the energy supply.
affordable electricity and fewer greenho- electricity. The 103 U.S. nuclear units In addition, the Office of Electricity
use gases. supply about 20 percent of the electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability seeks to
While coal is the nation’s major fuel produced in the United States – second develop new technologies for the storage
for electric power, natural gas is the fas- only to coal as a fuel source. The Nucle- of energy and the transmission of energy
test growing fuel. More than 90 percent ar Energy program is working to develop that will contribute to energy efficiency
of the power plants to be built in the next cost-efficient technologies that further en- of the electric industry. For instance, the
20 years will likely be fueled by natural hance nuclear safety, minimize the gene- copper wires used in typical transmission
gas. Natural gas is also likely to be a pri- ration of nuclear waste, and further reduce lines lose a percentage of the electricity
mary fuel for distributed power generators the risk of proliferation. passing through them because of resis-
– mini-power plants that would be sited The United States’ electricity infra- tance, which causes the wires to heat up.
close to where the electricity is needed. structure is one of the greatest engineering But “superconducting” materials have no
Energy’s Fossil Energy program is marvels of the 20th century. However, to resistance, and if they are used to transmit
developing natural gas-powered fuel meet the rising electric power demand of electricity in the future, very little of the
cells for future distributed generation ap- the 21st century, significant improvements electricity will be lost.
plications. Fuel cells use hydrogen that in America’s electric system are necessa- For statistical information relating to
can be extracted from natural gas or per- ry. Blackouts serve as a powerful remin- electricity it produces, visit the Energy In-
haps in the future from biomass or coal. der of the critical role electricity plays in formation Administration.
Energy’s Office of Nuclear Ener- the everyday lives of people. The mission Source: US Department of Energy
40
www.blackeoejournal.com The Black E.O.E. Journal
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