Nuclear power appears to be a powerful way to make steam that spins a turbine. Same with geothermal, wind, & hydro. Maybe not solar? Isn’t energy lost in the multiple energy conversions (heat, water state, kinetic)? Is it theoretically possible to have a power source that more directly moves electrons through a circuit? If solar is the only one that can, it’s limited in efficiency and where it can be used. What about power generation undersea or on Ganymede or something?
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Since it’s Eli5, and some of the other answers do the job, I’ll keep it simple and give you an example of energy that anyone can understand. From the example, you just apply the principle to energy production as a whole. What I’m writing doesn’t apply to dirty energy like coal or natural gas.. purely friction/natural collected energy.
*Potential* energy is all around you.. and *Kinetic* energy is what we get when potential energy is released. You can do an experiment right now as you read this with a pillow from your bed.
Grab the pillow and hold it out to your side adjacent to your body, that pillow is now in the Potential energy phase.. they call that potential energy because when you let go and it falls to the ground the potential energy is released into *kinetic* energy. That kinetic energy is the “falling” to keep it simple.
In an overly simplistic way, a wind turbine or dam will use this same principle. In the case of a dam, we build a containment wall that dams up the water into these massive pools. In those retaining walls we have these small (relative) openings with turbines in them that are connected to electrical grids and power stations. All that water dammed up with those openings closed is potential energy. When those openings go live and water goes through and spins the turbines it has now become kinetic. We then take that energy produced and channel it out it’s respective grid to where it needs to go.
That’s a good foundation to start with. But basically everything around you contains power in one way or another it’s just in different phases. Hope that helps. It’s a little splintered from your question, but like I said other answers did well enough so wanted to pepper in this grade school type example that anyone can get.
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