ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the methods of generating electricity using coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear energy, pumped storage, wind, tidal power, biomass and solar energy. Coal, oil and gas are called ‘fossil fuels’ because they have been formed from the organic remains of prehistoric plants and animals. The term ‘global climate change’ usually refers to changes to the earth’s climate brought about by a wide array of human activities. Because of predictions of a steady rise in average world-wide temperatures, global climate change is sometimes referred to as ‘global warming’. Regardless of which term is used, different methods of electricity production can impact the earth’s climate in ways that raise extraordinary environmental issues. Global warming poses a major threat to human health by way of increased infectious diseases. Increasing temperatures nurture the spread of disease-carrying mosquitoes and rodents. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change identifies more frequent and more severe heat waves as a potential lethal effect of global warming.
