![]() Effects on plants, animals, and ecosystems that result from the air, water, waste, and land impacts above.Land use for fuel production, power generation, and transmission and distribution lines.Generation of solid waste, which may include hazardous waste.Discharges of pollution into water bodies, including thermal pollution (water that is hotter than the original temperature of the water body).Use of water resources to produce steam, provide cooling, and serve other functions.Emissions of greenhouse gases and other air pollutants, especially when a fuel is burned.In general, the environmental effects can include: Nearly all parts of the electricity system can affect the environment, and the size of these impacts will depend on how and where the electricity is generated and delivered. Environmental Impacts of the Electricity System When demand increases, operators can respond by increasing production from power plants that are already operating, generating electricity from power plants that are already running at a low level or on standby, importing electricity from distant sources, or calling on end-users who agreed to consume less electricity from the grid. Electric utility companies and grid operators must work together to generate the right amount of electricity to meet demand. For the most part, electricity must be generated at the time it is used. ![]() The amount of electricity used in homes and businesses depends on the day, the time, and the weather. How the grid matches generation and demand These data were accessed in December 2017. Energy Information Administration, Electricity Data Browser. Learn more about end-users of electricity. The transportation sector accounts for a small fraction of electricity use. Residential, commercial, and industrial customers each account for roughly one-third of the nation’s electricity use. Substations “step down” high-voltage power to a lower voltage, sending the lower voltage electricity to customers through a network of distribution lines. Once electricity is generated at a centralized power plant, it travels through a series of interconnected, high-voltage transmission lines. Learn more about centralized and distributed generation. A much smaller but growing amount of electricity is produced through distributed generation-a variety of technologies that generate electricity at or near where it will be used, such as onsite solar panels and combined heat and power. electricity is generated at centralized power plants. ![]() Some of the fastest growing sources are renewable resources such as wind and solar. The three most common are natural gas, coal, and nuclear power. How and where electricity is generatedĮlectricity in the United States is generated using a variety of resources.
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