Reliability: Fossil Fuels

More and more, cities are using data gathered through monitoring usage patterns to manage how energy is distributed. A system guided by data like this is known as a “smart grid.”

People and businesses rely on electricity for many of their daily activities. So it’s important that the energy source used to generate this power is reliable. The failure to provide adequate supply to match the demand for energy can lead to short- or long-term outages, sometimes referred to as blackouts. Power plant operators need to know they have enough electricity available to them to manage the times of the day and year when electricity demand is highest—known in the industry as peak demand.

That fossil fuels are used to power our nation’s largest cities during peak demand demonstrates their reliability. Fossil fuels come in forms that can be transported along an established network of roadways, trains, and pipelines. They readily burn, so they can be used at any time of day, during any time of year, to make the steam needed to generate electricity. They can also be stored for future use.