Why do we still use steam as a primary means of producing electricity?

Question

It’s been more than 200 years since the widespread implementation of the steam engine.

Why is this still the most prevalent means of producing electricity? With things like fusion reactors, why is it so hard to convert the thermal energy into electrical energy?

In: 787

Answer 1

We’re still using steam to generate electricity because for many applications, we don’t have anything better than steam to spin those turbines. The same steam can be used to spin many turbines before its energy is depleted enough to be of little use.