Featured Article: How Solar Cells Work
Solar cells use sunlight to produce electricity. But what happens on a cloudy day? Learn all about solar cells and what it would take to power your entire house with solar energy. See more »
energy production library
The greatest need modern civilizations have is energy. Learn about oil, electricity and newer forms of energy like solar and wind power.
5 Biggest Nuclear Reactors
Today, more than 400 nuclear power plants are located in 30 countries across the globe. Together, these plants produce 15 percent of the world's electricity. Which nuclear reactors produce the most power?
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5 Most Coveted Offshore Petroleum Reserves
Laws, treaties and the limits of human technology have kept some petroleum reserves just beyond the reach of oil companies. So where are they dying to drill?
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How a Microgrid Works
For decades, we've depended on an outdated, centralized power system that wastes power and occasionally fails to meet everyone's needs. The idea of a localized power grid, or microgrid, might just be the change we need.
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How AC FOX Works
Manufacturers -- whether they make corn ethanol fuel, biodiesel fuel, pancake syrup or even frozen pizza -- produce waste and polluted water. Now there's a completely new process called Activated Carbon Facilitated Oxidation, or AC FOX that can handle water that is polluted with organic material. Learn all about AC FOX.
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How ANWR Works
If it weren't for the billions of barrels of oil estimated to lie within its borders, you might never have heard of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. But this protected corner of Alaska has generated more controversy than its vast, arctic acres co
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How Blackouts Work
You may remember the blackout that occurred on Aug. 14, 2003. It was the biggest in U.S. history. And just like every major blackout, it raised a lot of questions about how the power-distribution system works.
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How can water cut through steel?
How can water cut through steel? A device called a waterjet uses extreme force to cut through all sorts of things.
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How Circuits Work
Have you ever wondered what happens when you flip a switch to turn something on? You're completing an electric circuit, allowing a current, or flow of electrons, through the wires.
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How do facilities store hazardous waste?
Hazardous waste disposal is an ongoing struggle that's monitored by the EPA. How is meant to be disposed of, and what happens when something goes wrong?
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How Exploding Manholes Work
Manhole covers have been blasting out of the ground in New York City. Find out what causes these strange explosions and how powerful they really are.
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How Geothermal Energy Works
If you've ever seen a geyser letting off steam or witnessed a fuming volcano simmering under pressure, you know that the interior of the Earth is really hot. So where does all that heat come from, and is there any way to harness it?
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How Hydropower Plants Work
The basic idea isn't new, but the process of modern hydropower conversion is high-tech. Today's hydropower plants are some of the coolest machines ever constructed. Find out how rushing water generates power.
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How Offshore Drilling Works
Drilling down thousands of feet in lightless ocean depths and transporting that oil to the surface without spilling it isn't exactly easy. Did we mention the rough seas?
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How Oil Drilling Works
Bubblin' crude. Black gold. Texas tea. Whatever you call it, oil is a valuable commodity. Finding and extracting it is a fascinating process. Find out all about modern oil exploration and drilling.
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How Oil Refining Works
A recent fire at a New York oil refinery pumped clouds of black smoke into the city skyline. Despite the dangers, oil refineries are essential to society in its current form. Learn how crude oil is converted into everything from butane to gasoline.
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How Plasma Converters Work
In "Back to the Future," Doc Brown throws garbage into Mr. Fusion, powering his time machine. We might be closer than you think to generating electricity for our homes using trash.
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How Power Grids Work
Last week's massive power failure illustrated a major problem inherent in the standard electricity distribution system. Learn all about the technology at the heart of this story.
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How Solar Cells Work
Solar cells use sunlight to produce electricity. But what happens on a cloudy day? Learn all about solar cells and what it would take to power your entire house with solar energy.
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How the Crude Oil Market Works
The ever-changing price of a barrel of oil has a lot to do with what we pay for gasoline at the pump. But do you know the four major factors that contribute to the price of oil?
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Inside a Power-Cube Transformer
You've probably never noticed how many of these you use everyday, but HowStuffWorks took the time to count them and take them apart to see what's inside!
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