What is a "power plant"?

What is a "power plant"?

Terry Tamminen (Author & Environmental Policy Advisor) gives expert video advice on: What is a "fossil fuel"?; How does our use of fossil fuels cause global warming?; What are "carbon emissions"? and more...

A power plant is a mechanical device that converts one form of a fuel into usable energy. For example, natural gas is burned in a large furnace that turns a turbine. That turbine generates electricity which goes out over a transmission grid into our homes. The same thing is true if you burn coal or oil at a power plant.