Electricity is a form of energy resulting from the movement of charged particles, such as electrons (negatively charged subatomic particles) and protons (positively charged subatomic particles). Static electricity is caused by friction, when one material rubs against another and transfers charged particles. The zap you might feel and the spark you might see when you drag your feet along the carpet…
In 2003, net generation of electricity totaled 3.8 trillion kilowatt-hours. Table 8.1 shows that electric utility retail sales (electricity use) in the United States has increased almost every year since 1949. In the United States coal has been and continues to be the largest raw source for electricity production, accounting for slightly more than half of the electricity (about 52%) generated in 2…
The price paid by a consumer for electricity includes the cost of converting energy into electricity from its original form, such as coal, as well as the cost of delivering it. In 2000, according to the EIA's Annual Energy Review 2003 (2004), consumers paid an average of $20.04 per million Btu for the electric power delivered to their residences, compared to only $5.68 per million Btu for n…
Regulated for decades as "natural monopolies," much like the railroad and telecommunications industries, electric FIGURE 8.3 utilities are in the midst of a radical, highly controversial shift toward unregulated markets and increased competition. In 1978 Congress passed the Public Utilities Regulatory Policy Act (PURPA; PL 95-617), which required that utilities buy electricity f…
In 2002 approximately 15.3 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity were generated around the world. (See Figure 8.7.) As reported in the EIA's Annual Energy Review 2003 (2004), the United States accounted for 25% of this production; China, 10.4%; Japan, 6.5%; and Russia, 5.8%. Figure 8.8 shows net generation of electricity by type and by region of the world. According to the EIA in Annual En…
In Annual Energy Outlook 2004 the EIA predicted that from 2002 to 2025, residential U.S. electricity consumption will grow at a rate of 1.4% annually. This compares with 7% growth per year during the 1960s. Several factors led to this decreased growth of electricity consumption, including increased market saturation of electric appliances and improvements in efficiency. Commercial demand is expect…
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