5.1. Introduction
Most of the conventional electricity generation processes are based on thermodynamic conversions (steam and combustion cycles). These processes can be found, for example, in coal, gas or nuclear power plants. However, the heat required for the operation of the process can also be produced from renewable energy. This is particularly the case for geothermal power, thermodynamic solar power and cogeneration from biomass.
This chapter will describe electrical power plants, using these three last sources of heat production. For each of them, many similarities will be observed in the process, in particular for thermodynamic and electromechanical conversion stages. However, readers will also have the chance during their reading to notice the specific characteristics of the various energy sources [HOO 04].
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