
| Type | Source | Conversion of energy |
| Thermal
Generators 火力发电站 huǒ lì fā diàn zhàn |
fossil fuels 化石燃料 huà shí rán liào (non- renewable) / biomass fuel (renewable) |
the
burning / combustion of the fuels changes water 水 shuǐ
into steam which is then used to rotate the turbines. heat -> kinetic -> electrical |
| Hydroelectric Generators 水力发电站 shuǐ lì fā diàn zhàn |
water 水 shuǐ (renewable) |
gravitational potential energy
of water 水 shuǐ
is converted to kinetic energy
to turn the turbines gravitational potential -> kinetic - > electrical |
| Nuclear power generators 核电站 hé diàn zhàn |
radioactive materials (non- renewable) |
energy from nuclear fission is
converted to heat to change water 水 shuǐ
into steam to turn the turbine nuclear -> heat -> kinetic -> electrical |
| Tidal power generators 潮汐发电 cháo xī fā diàn |
water 水 shuǐ
currents (renewable) |
kinetic energy
of water 水 shuǐ
turns the turbines kinetic -> electrical |
| Wind turbines 风力发电机 fēng lì fā diàn jī |
wind (renewable) | kinetic energy
of wind turns the turbines kinetic -> electrical |
| Solar power generators 太阳能发电 tài yáng néng fā diàn |
Sun 太阳 tài yáng (renewable) | with
photoelectric cells, light 光
guāng is converted to electrical energy light -> electrical |
