4. Electrical energy

Electrical energy is a form of energy that is transported by an electrical current.
Electrical energy is the most commonly used energy in modern, industrialised societies. There are many technological objects around us that use electricity.
Electricity is very common for two reasons:

• It can be easily transformed into other types of energy, such us light and heat.
• It can be transported over long distances in ways that are cheap and efficient.

4.1. Electric power stations.
A power station or generating station is a place where energy from natural resources is transformed into energy that we can consume. If the energy obtained is a electricity, it is called an electric power station.

• How electricity is generated.

Electric power stations require sources of energy, such us the mechanical energy of falling water. They use generators used in power stations are called alternators.

An alternator usually has a stationary part, called stator, and a moving part, called a rotor. A turbine turns the axis of the rotor, which generates an alternating electric current in each of the stator's coils, which coincide with one of every two of the rotor's coils.

The turbine-altenator system is used at all power stations except for photovoltaic stations, which use a different type of technology.

4.2. The transportation and distribution of electricity.


The transportation of electrical energy inncludes:

• Raising the voltage.
• High voltage lines.
• Reducing the voltage.