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Marine energy or marine power (also sometimes referred to as ocean energy, ocean power, or marine and hydrokinetic energy) refers to the energy carried by ocean waves, tides, salinity, and ocean temperature differences. The movement of water in the world's oceans creates a vast store of kinetic energy, or energy in motion.
In some cases a power plant produces much less power than its rated capacity because it uses an intermittent energy source. Operators try to pull maximum available power from such power plants, because their marginal cost is practically zero, but the available power varies widely—in particular, it may be zero during heavy storms at night.
Production is carried out in power stations, also called "power plants". Electricity is most often generated at a power plant by electromechanical generators, primarily driven by heat engines fueled by combustion or nuclear fission, but also by other means such as the kinetic energy of flowing water and wind.
US energy production in 2023 [22] The United States is the world's second-largest producer of energy. It produces 16% of the world's energy, about three-fourths as much as China. [4] Since 2019, the country has been a net exporter of energy. In 2023, 102.8 quads were produced and net exports were 7.6% of production. [18]
The energy of a thermal power station not utilized in power production must leave the plant in the form of heat to the environment. This waste heat can go through a condenser and be disposed of with cooling water or in cooling towers. If the waste heat is instead used for district heating, it is called cogeneration.
The efficiency of a conventional steam–electric power plant, defined as energy produced by the plant divided by the heating value of the fuel consumed by it, is typically 33 to 48%, limited as all heat engines are by the laws of thermodynamics (See: Carnot cycle). The rest of the energy must leave the plant in the form of heat.
The following pages lists the power stations in the United States by type: List of largest power stations in the United States; Non-renewable energy. Coal-fired power stations; Natural gas-fired power stations; Nuclear power stations; Renewable energy. Geothermal power stations; Hydroelectric power stations; Solar power stations; Wind farms ...
Hydro excludes pumped storage (not an energy source, used by all sources, other than hydro). Total includes net imports. 2021 and 2022 data is from Electric Power Annual 2022; The following tables summarize the electrical energy generated by fuel source for the United States. Electric Power Annual [12] for 2022 data.