World’s energy sources 2

Flowing water has been used as a power source since the middle ages. Modern hydropower uses water flowing through turbines in dams to produce electricity. The fifth most important power source (just under 6% of the world total) is nuclear power. A nuclear reaction releases huge amounts of heat which in turn heats water or other liquid and drives a turbine to produce electricity. The first nuclear power station to produce electricity or public use was Calder Hall, UK, which opened in 1956. The Sun’s warmth can be stored to produce energy. Mirrors and glass were used to collect heat in ancient times, but the first houses to use solar heating were not built until 1955. Solar energy is becoming more popular and the technology is getting better all the time. The world’s largest solar energy generating plants are in the Mohave Desert, California, USA. They are designed to use the Sun’s rays to heat oil which drives a generator.