Free Essay Sample on the Innovations of Electricity

The paper reflects the innovations made in the field. Many of the innovation in electricity are moves that aim at producing sustainable and clean power. There are examples of innovation in the area of electricity that make the dream of having a green energy a reality. The paper will present the two most important, and possible future innovations that will be happening the field.

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One of the leading innovations in the area of electricity is the nuclear reactors. It works through nuclear fission, which is the process of breaking apart of atoms. Upon breaking, the atoms releases energy that initially held the atom together. The crude innovation was first made in the 1950s when the radioactive uranium isotope was used to produce cheap energy. The current development of the invention led to the construction of nuclear reactors. It is a structure designed to create this fission process using the isotope uranium-235 (Apikyan and Diamond). The current nuclear power plants include one or more reactors, which are fitted with a cooling system. It is because the nuclear production of electricity produces a lot of heat in the process (Apikyan and Diamond 4). The main innovation here is not the use of isotope to generate electricity because it was introduced many years ago. However, the main innovation here is the nuclear reactor. The reactor controls the fission process by use of a tiny amount of uranium, and the energy is directed to energy rods heating water to produce steam. The steam produced from the heated water turns the turbines to turns an electric generator. The use of nuclear is on the rise. Apikyan and Diamond (2009) says IAFA updates are that by the year 3030, installed nuclear capacity will increase by 30-100% (p.1)Therefore, a nuclear plant is a steam plant that uses fewer resources unlike the coal and oil, which can also be used to run a turbine.

Another modern innovation in the field of electricity is the use solar cells, and wind turbines. They can generate electricity by use heat and light energy, unlike wind and water that provides energy through movement (Johnstone, Hascic and Popp 138). Cell technology is also called photovoltaic cells have the capability of converting light to electricity. The cells contain a material or rather semiconductor called silicon. Electrons in the silicon move when the material absorbs light (Johnstone, Hascic and Popp 135). The technology is efficient because the solar cells are versatile in size especially for the purpose of portability. Large solar cells can be used to produce electricity for industries and households uses. It can also be sold, depending on the energy market situation of the place. As suggested by Johnstone, Hascic and Popp (2010) that, policies which encourage trading of energy will possibly increase innovation on energy (p. 137) The energy harnessed from the solar cells is green renewable. It has led to reduced dependency on the grid for electricity. People have with solar panels are now using rechargeable batteries for storing solar energy for use at night and during cloudy days. Another innovation in electricity is on the wind turbines. It is another great innovation (Johnstone, Hascic and Popp 139). Although wind energy has been in use for millennia, the innovation is the development of wind-electric turbine. .A wind turbine blades called rotorS that are placed high places such that nothing blocks the wind. The turbine has a drive train, which is similar to a car engine. It produces electricity that is connected to the grid. It has increased the megawatts on the national networks because it is a non-renewable energy, and it is harnessed throughout the day and night.

The future of the electricity is in the production of kinetic energy. There is an introduction of the Nanogenerators that uses energy from our body. Nanogenerators are special because they do not depend on power from other sources like wind and sun, but it comes from your body (Wang 102). The shortcoming of this future innovation is that it only produces electricity on a small scale. Nanogenerators are small devices fitted with a piezoelectric material, meaning that has a capability of producing electricity through bending or stretching. Wang (2012) says piezoelectric-semiconducting coupling process converts mechanical energy into electricity (p. 103). The power can come from slight body movements like walking, heartbeats, and lung movement, that is contraction, and expansion. They can be used for charging small devices like pacemakers, which reduces the cases of surgeries when the batteries fail (Wang 102). They will ensure that they are continuously charged. There is likeliness of fitting Nanogenerators in clothes for charging small devices like music players when moving. More innovations should be made to reduce dependency on the nonrenewable sources for sustainability.

To conclude, there are many innovations in the field of electricity. However, the paper singled out the leading innovations. The most significant changes are that reducing the dependency on the non-renewable sources of electricity. Nuclear energy replaces the large quantities of coal or out that would be used to run the turbines. Developments in the wind and solar energy can reduce overdependence of grid since they are freely available. New inventions should be made like introduction Nanogenerators which that can be fitted on our body to provide electricity.

Works Cited

Apikyan, Samuel and David Diamond. Nuclear power and energy security. Springer, 2009.

Johnstone, Nick, Ivan Hascic and David Popp. "Renewable energy policies and technological innovation: evidence based on patent counts." Environmental and resource economics (2010): 133-155.

Wang, Xudong. "Direct-current nanogenerator driven by ultrasonic waves." Science 316.5821 (2012): 102-105.