It’s over 175 years since Michael Faraday discovered how to generate electricity. But the fundamental principles remain unchanged: electricity is generated when a loop of wire is rotated between two poles of a stationary magnet
Natural gas
The UK now uses Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) natural gas technology to generate a third of its electricity. That’s because CCGT is cost-effective, reliable, efficient and environmentally sound. At installations like our Sutton Bridge station, two gas turbines are fuelled by natural gas, which heats water into steam. This rotates an electricity generator to supply the National Grid.
Coal
Coal has been the mainstay of electricity generation in the UK for the past fifty years and still accounts for a third of our electricity. We grind it as finely as face powder in pulverizing mills, then mix it with warm air and burn it in huge boilers. The steam generated powers a turbine.
Wind
Whether based on or offshore, wind rotates the blades of a wind turbine to drive a connected gearbox and generator. Sensors constantly monitor wind direction and speed, allowing us to direct the rotor blades into the wind, maximising the energy captured.
Marine currents
Marine Current Turbines (MCT) are similar to wind turbines, except underwater currents turn the blades. Tidal current power has the potential to make a major contribution in the future – especially as tidal currents are very predictable.