Whenever you turn on your computer, brew a cup of coffee, or play a video game, someone is making energy and sending it to you.
Did you ever wonder how that happens?
More and more, people do wonder, and care very much. Traditional ways of making energy can cause harmful pollution. We are always searching for ways to make clean, affordable energy.
Our Power School helps you understand and think about the ways we create energy. Here, we explore energy sources, describe how we create and distribute energy, and test your brainpower along the way.
Energy sources
Traditional fuels include coal, natural gas, and oil. When these fuels burn, energy in the form of heat is released. Nuclear energy comes from splitting the nucleus of an atom, usually an atom of uranium. This is called fission.
Renewable energy is cleaner or "greener," and comes from sources that replenish themselves. Renewable energy sources generate 12% of the electricity in the United States.
Sunlight creates warmth naturally. Scientists and engineers are figuring out how to harness the power of the sun in ways we can use every day. Wind is another natural power source. The challenge is harnessing it in ways that are affordable and allow for widespread distribution.
Dams capture the energy of water falling from a high place to a lower one. The result is hydropower. Hydropower generates 44% of Green Mountain Power electricity.
Extracting energy from biomass, which includes forest and farm waste products, is another exciting frontier for scientists.
Did you ever wonder how that happens?
More and more, people do wonder, and care very much. Traditional ways of making energy can cause harmful pollution. We are always searching for ways to make clean, affordable energy.
Our Power School helps you understand and think about the ways we create energy. Here, we explore energy sources, describe how we create and distribute energy, and test your brainpower along the way.
Energy sources
Traditional fuels include coal, natural gas, and oil. When these fuels burn, energy in the form of heat is released. Nuclear energy comes from splitting the nucleus of an atom, usually an atom of uranium. This is called fission.
Renewable energy is cleaner or "greener," and comes from sources that replenish themselves. Renewable energy sources generate 12% of the electricity in the United States.
Sunlight creates warmth naturally. Scientists and engineers are figuring out how to harness the power of the sun in ways we can use every day. Wind is another natural power source. The challenge is harnessing it in ways that are affordable and allow for widespread distribution.
Dams capture the energy of water falling from a high place to a lower one. The result is hydropower. Hydropower generates 44% of Green Mountain Power electricity.
Extracting energy from biomass, which includes forest and farm waste products, is another exciting frontier for scientists.
