Why Steam Power?

Why is using steam power the most common technique for generating electricity in the world today?

Using steam power is a very efficient way to generate electricity, especially if the steam being used is coming from a nuclear power plant.  A nuclear reactor uses nuclear energy to create heat, which boils water into steam, then the high pressure steam is used to rotate a steam turbine generator.  This process is very efficient, cost-effective, and requires a smaller percentage land space than most other sources of energy.  Why steam and nuclear power is not more commonly used than burning fossil fuels more heat is an urgent topic of debate in the world today.

Coal power plants are the most commonly used form of electrical generation in the United States.  Coal power, again, commonly uses steam pressure to turn a turbine generator.  This process is also very efficient, another reason why steam power is used so commonly today.

Concentrated solar power is another reason why steam power is used today.  Concentrated solar power uses the concentrated heat energy from the sun to boil water into steam, later using the steam pressure to power a generator.

Steam power and steam technology were extremely important in American history, especially during the Industrial Revolution, and is still very important in our lives today.