ELECTRICAL POWER PLANTS

In Canary Islands the conventional power plants are:

• Thermal power plants: water is heated in a boiler by the heat generated from the combustion of a fossil fuel (natural gas, coal or petroleum). The steam is that is generated moves the turbine connected to the generator.

• Wind farms use the kinetic energy of the wind to move the blades of a rotor at the top of a tower; this is referred to as a wind turbine.

• Solar power plants use the Sun's energy. There are two types: photo-thermal powetr plants are thermal power plants in which steam is produced by solar radiatio, while photovoltaic power plants transform solar radiation directly into electricity, using panels of photovoltaic cells.

The non-conventional power plants are:

• Hydroelectric power plants use the potential energy provided by the heigbht of the water stored in a dam, converting it into kinetic energy. This energy moves the blades of the turbine. There are two types: gravity and pump.

• Biomass consists of all organic compounds that are produced through natural processes. Biomass thermal power plants are thermal power plants that use biomass as fuel.