The importance of electricity in our modern world can hardly be overstated. What was a luxury a hundred years ago is now a critical component to the safety, prosperity, and well-being of nearly everyone. Generation is the first step electricity takes on its journey through the power grid, the gigantic machine that delivers energy to millions of people day in and day out. So how does it work?
How Electricity Generation Really Works
00:00
Electricity Transmission
In the past, power generating plants were only able to serve their local areas. As power plants grew larger and further away from populated areas, the need for ways to efficiently move electricity over long distances has become more and more important. Stringing power lines across the landscape to connect cities to power plants may seem as simple as connecting an extension cord to an outlet, but the engineering behind these electric superhighways is more complicated and fascinating than you might think.
How do Electric Transmission Lines Work?
00:00
How Do Substations Work?
00:00
World’s Largest Batteries – (Pumped Storage)
00:00
Connecting Solar to the Grid is Harder Than You Think
00:00
The Most Confusing Part of the Power Grid
00:00
Electrical Gird Blackout
We usually think of the power grid in terms of its visible parts: power plants, high-voltage lines, and substations. But, much of the complexity of power grid comes in how we protect it when things go wrong. When your power goes out, it’s easy to be frustrated at the inconvenience, but consider also being thankful that it probably means things are working as designed to protect the grid as a whole and ensure a speedy and cost-effective repair to the fault.
How Power Blackouts Work
00:00
What Is A Black Start Of The Power Grid?
00:00
Case Studies
What Really Happened During the Texas Power Grid Outage?
00:00
What Really Happened During the 2003 Blackout?
00:00
What Really Happened with the Substation Attack in North Carolina?
