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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In large scale steam turbines are a great way to convert thermal energy into electric power. In smaller scales we also use reciprocating engines (diesel/gas generators) even in not so small scales (think boats and trains). There is also solar power as you mentioned. As someone else mentioned there is also the use of thermocouples in RTGs and other low power high reliability generators. There are also turbines that use other gases instead of steam (CO2, Nitrogen, ammonia, etc) and then the regular gas turbines (like helicopter engines) that use air and burn fuel as a heat source. There is a lot of variety out there but very large scale it almost always turns out to be a steam turbine.
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