how exactly is electricity created and why are there so many ways to do it (ie hydro, coal, nuclear,etc)
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Here is your ELI5, except for solar panels all the other ways to make electricity require spinning a generator. The generator has a shaft on one end and terminals on the other end where the electricity comes out. Hydro is falling water turning a water wheel that is mounted to that shaft on the generator I talked about. Coal is burned to make heat. Heating water makes steam. Steam has enough force to push things like a turbine. A turbine is just like a water wheel that is pushed by steam instead of water. Nuclear also makes heat, which makes steam which works the same as coal. Wind turbines is just a propeller turning the shaft of a generator.
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