Energy Lesson 3 : Generating Michigan's Electricity

Michigan generates electricity in a variety of ways at hundreds of sites across the state. Electrical generation is done at three large nuclear plants, dozens of coal fired plants, and back-up generators around the state. Electricity is also generated by wind farms, biomass facilities, woodfired heaters in homes, and even small photovoltaic cells on traffic signals.

Electricity is distributed around the country through a network of wires called the electric grid. Most homes are connected to the grid and use power generated from power plants, although some Michigan homes and businesses generate their own electricity using wind turbines, photovoltaic (PV) cells, or both.

Production of electricity usually matches demand. Power plants send the electricity they produce to the electric grid. If a power plant or portion of the grid cannot match demand, then electricity can be purchased from other electricity producers (also known as electric utility companies). Conversely, if a power plant produces excess electricity, it can be sold to other electric companies that have an increased demand. As a result, the energy we use in our homes may not come solely from the local power plant. The PowerPoint Seeing Beyond the Light Switch? on the MEECS Energy Resources Flash Drive describes the transmission and distribution of electricity in more detail.

In order for energy to become usable, it usually has to be processed, transformed, and transported. Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but energy (chemical, mechanical, thermal, electrical) can be transformed from one form to another. Each time an energy transformation occurs, some useful energy is lost as heat to the surrounding environment. It takes energy to obtain and process non-renewable energy resources so that they can be used to generate electricity, while renewable energy resources usually do not have to be processed to generate electricity. 

Typically, the more times an energy resource is processed and transformed, the less efficient it is. In addition, it takes energy to transport non-renewable energy resources to processing facilities (like oil and natural gas refineries) and then to electricity-generating facilities called power plants. Renewable energy resources usually do not have to be transported and are used directly at the electricity generation facility. Electricity is an economical, efficient, and convenient way to transport energy once it has been processed and transformed. Electricity is generated in Michigan in five different ways, using different energy resources (coal, natural gas, oil, uranium (nuclear), solar, wind, water, and biomass) with a wide variety of environmental impacts.

While use of electricity is virtually pollution-free for the end-user (household, school, or business), there are negative environmental impacts during the extraction and transportation of raw energy resources and especially during the generation of electricity. The social, economic, and environmental advantages and disadvantages of using different renewable and non-renewable energy resources are addressed in Lesson 4.

For additional background information about electricity use and generation, explore the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration Energy Kids Page, available at www.eia.doe.gov/kids/.

This lesson plan includes several suggestions for how students can demonstrate ways to generate the power needed to run a turbine or generate electricity, depending on available equipment and the background knowledge of students. It also contains a list of video resources, including virtual field trips, which can be used when hands on activities are not feasible.

Students work with a map of Power Generation in Michigan and investigate how electrical generation in Michigan is changing. The PowerPoint Using the Energy Information Agency State Comparison website is on the flash drive. The Energy Information Agency web site is www.eia.gov/maps/.