How energy is saved ? This is not a trolling question so please no smart *** answer.
Please correct any point that is wrong. As I understand it, when electricity is generated by the power plant, that energy cannot be stored. So it has to be used or it will be loss. I can see that if a power plant is fueled by gas or coal than those fuels are wasted. However, if the power plant use water, solar, or wind than what is the waste ? Is it not using energy a waste ? I suppose with all the power plants connect to the same grid it will be hard to separate the replenishable from the non-replenishable plants.

Additional Details

1 month ago

Well thank you millionaire, thank you so much for enlightening this ignorant person. I see that your wisdom is far beyond my comprehension as I am not in your same school. I truly apologize for wasting your precious time. I am so happy now that I will go bury my head in the sand.

Best Answer

Power plants from many different sources supply the grid. Only the power that is being used by the grid is being supplied to the grid. This balance is noted by the frequency of the grid (North America is 60Hz) and the voltage of a particular grid. If a power plant over produces, and it happens, then grid frequency will go up slightly and another power plant will back off production. This works the other way also. If not enough power plants are on the grid for the load being drawn then there is what is known as a brown-out and this is due to the voltage going low. There are specially trained personnel who monitor and maintain the distribution of power around the grid.

None of the fuel is wasted per se, but plant efficiencies are effected by the amount of percent of load they produce compared to their maximum ability. Nuclear Power-Trained Submarine Veteran
Gas Turbine Combined-Cycle Power Plant Electrician/Operator
Former Fluidized-Bed Biomass Power Plant Electrician/Operator

Asker's Rating:

Thanks for the explanation.

Other Answers (3)

• the generation plants are moderated as to how much is generated and sent out to the lines any excess is sold on the open market to other utilities in other states or provinces.So in the down times less power is generated and in peak consumption times more is generated.There is always a loss of power thru transmission lines when it is transported in the lines it is not a perfect system but it works.Don%26#039;t worry about millionaire I%26#039;m glad I didn%26#039;t go to his school his grammar is terrible
• As I understand it (I%26#039;m not a millionaire) energy can be stored in batteries and other places of which I am not so enlightened. PG %26amp; E is currently working on a wind/solar panel alternative for my area and I can%26#039;t imagine them not storing excess electricity, especially since they pay people for their excess solar panel energy.
• Everything that you re saying is wrong.you do no not actually comprehend and i can tell you that definitely went to the wrong school or ...........................................