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It’s 6 o’clock, time to wake up for school! As

your alarm clock buzzes, you roll over, hit

the switch, and get out of bed

so you don’t miss the bus.

After showering and

brushing your teeth,

you head downstairs to

grab some toast your

mom left in the toaster for you.

The phone rings, but you’re already headed

out the door. Luckily, you make the bus just in time

to get your favorite seat, second row from the

driver. It’s just an ordinary morning on

your way to school.

Let’s take a closer look at your morning, and

uncover the truth about energy: it’s everywhere!

Your alarm clock, water heater, toaster and

phone all use a special form of energy

– electricity - to run. Electricity is an

interaction of electrons that creates an

important flow of energy that can occur

naturally, like lightning, or can be created

in a power plant and used for beneficial

purposes, like in a light bulb.

It’s Electric!It’s Electric!

2

It’s Electric!It’s Electric!There are several different ways Alabama Power

produces electricity. Each method has advantages

and challenges. These include the availability and

cost of fuels used to make power. That’s why we try

to be as efficient as we can in the way we produce

electricity, and try to help customers use

energy more efficiently.

Electricity keeps our lights on, our water

warm and our houses cool in the summer

and warm in the winter. It keeps your

favorite restaurants and businesses running, too.

This book will help you understand where electricity

comes from, how it gets to your house, and how you

can use it like a pro. Let’s start exploring!

3

Did you know?The water currents around a dam are very powerful, so you should always

wear a life vest when boating and never swim near a dam. Always remain a safe distance away from dams.

Lake

Dam

Inlet tube

GeneratorTurbine

Outlet tube

Electricity

Gravity causes water to flow down a tube that turns the turbine and the generator that creates electricity. The water then flows out below the dam into a river and continues on its way downstream.

4

Where does electricity come from?

Electricity can be made many different

ways. In Alabama, we use water,

nuclear fission, natural gas and

coal as the primary fuels to produce

electricity. These fuels are converted

into energy, which turns turbine

blades at our generating plants and

produces electricity.

Hydro power uses water and gravity

as the fuel to move turbine blades.

Water is stored behind the dam in

the reservoir and when power is

needed, the water is released through

the dam, where it turns a turbine

to produce electricity. Hydropower

produces no emissions.

Nuclear plants make electricity by heating

water to make steam. The steam spins the

turbine which turns the generator that creates

electricity. The heat is created when an atom

splits in a process called nuclear fission. Nuclear

power produces no emissions.

Reactor

VesselSteam

generator

Pressurizer

Turbine GeneratorCooling Tower

Electricity

Condenser

5

Plant Farley near Dothan, Alabama.

Natural gas and coal are called fossil fuels. Fossil fuels are formed from carbon-

rich deposits in the earth, often from the remains of ancient vegetation or animals.

Once they are used, they are gone forever. Fossil-fuel burning plants do produce

emissions, but new technology is helping reduce emissions significantly.

WATER

WATER

Steam

TURBINE

GENERATOR

ELECTRICITY

Cooling

Tower

COAL OR

NATURAL GAS

Pollution

Controls

SCR, Scrubber,

Prec i p itator

Stack

6

Condenser

FURNACE/

boiler

Bottom Ash

Forced Draft

Fan

Burner

Natural gas or coal burn in a large

furnace, which heats water in a boiler

into steam, which moves through

pipes and turns the turbines. At some

coal plants, the steam is cooled in

a large tower. The white clouds you

see rising from the tower are water

vapor from the cooling process.

Did you know?Coal is America’s most abundant energy resource. That’s why scientists at

Alabama Power are working hard to find ways to make it cleaner.

The United States has more than a 200-year supply of coal - or more coal than Saudi Arabia has oil – so our scientists are

working hard to find ways to make it burn cleaner. Between 1999 and 2012 Alabama Power will

have spent almost $3 billion on equipment and technology to reduce emissions from our coal-fired power plants.

Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) units work like the catalytic converters in your parents’ cars – only ours are 200 feet tall! SCRs remove nitrogen oxides

produced when coal burns before it goes into the atmosphere.

Other huge facilities called “scrubbers” use water and limestone to remove the sulfur dioxide that is formed when coal burns before it goes into the atmosphere.

Alabama Power is part of an exciting project at our Plant Barry near Mobile. We’re testing carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). That’s when carbon dioxide is captured before it leaves the power

plant and is moved through a pipeline 9,000 feet below the ground for safe storage.

we’re Making coal cleaner!

7

Did you know?The use of renewable energy is not new. More than 150 years ago,

wood, which is one form of biomass, supplied up to 90 percent of our energy needs.

Did you know?For Alabama Power to produce 20 percent of its energy from solar panels,

we’d need to put panels on every home in Alabama – or enough to fill 38,000 football fields!

Did you know?You can find out how much energy each of our solar panels is producing and

how long that energy could power some household appliances –at http://www.buildingdashboard.com/clients/alabamapower/.

Renewable

Energy!Renewable energy comes from reusable resources like water, sunlight and wind. Water, or hydro power, produces an average of 6 percent of Alabama Power’s electricity needs each year, and we’re working to find ways to take advantage of other renewable sources in the future.

Solar energy, from sunlight, works best in places like the desert, where there are few clouds and very low humidity. Alabama’s abundant cloud cover, heat and humidity aren’t well-suited for solar energy, but we’re testing new technology that could make it more practical in the future. We put four different solar panels on the roof of our corporate headquarters building in downtown Birmingham to see how they compare with the other ways we produce electricity.

8

Wind power works best in places like the Midwest and on the coasts, where the wind blows stronger and more often. But Alabama

Power is researching ways to make it more practical in

Alabama. We’ve placed two wind turbines on our roof, too! The turbines are 33 feet tall and the blades stretch out six feet.

For wind-powered turbines to reach optimum efficiency, the wind must blow consistently and for long periods of time.

We’re studying renewable fuels from plants, known as biomass. Alabama Power already uses some biomass, such as wood chips and switchgrass. We want to explore all the clean fuels the earth has to offer.

Right now, using renewable energy on a large scale isn’t practical. But future

discoveries and technologies will change that. Could you be the scientist that makes it possible?

Did you know?A wind-powered turbine that can power 15,000 light bulbs in

Wisconsin can only run 300 light bulbs in Alabama.

Did you know?Alabama Power has a power plant that uses biofuels

such as switchgrass and wood chips. Biofuels are a source of renewable energy.

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How does

electric ity

get to my

house?

How does

electric ity

get to my

house?

1

The delivery process is the same no matter

what type of fuel produces the electricity.

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3

2

We’ve talked about the different ways electricity is made using water, nuclear reactions,

natural gas, coal and renewable forms such as wood chips and switchgrass. The delivery process is the same

no matter what type of fuel produces the electricity.

1 When electricity leaves the power plant, it goes through a device called a step-up transformer to increase the voltage. Voltage works like pressure, so a higher voltage allows more power to flow on the lines.

2 The power then travels long distances through high-voltage transmission lines before arriving at a substation, where a step-down transformer lowers the voltage for delivery to your neighborhood.

3 Once it gets to your neighborhood, electricity travels through lower-voltage distribution lines. Just before it enters your house it goes through a step-down transformer, which is normally located on a power pole, to reduce the voltage to a level you can use in your home.

11

Energy Efficiency

at your house.

1 Keep your thermostat in the 68 to 70 degree range,

or lower, in cold weather and 78 degrees, or higher,

in summer. When you’re away for long periods,

raise or lower your thermostat even more.

2 When using a window air-conditioner, be sure

to close off the rooms you want to cool.

3 In the winter, make sure garage doors are

closed to help keep cold wind outside.

4 In the winter, leave the curtains open on sunny days so

the house will absorb the sun’s heat. In the summer, keep

the curtains closed to keep out the sun’s heat.

There are a lot of steps you can take to save money and energy. Let’s explore

some things you can do right at home with mom’s and dad’s help!

12

5 Use a ceiling fan. Set it on “forward” in the summer to make the room 3-4

degrees cooler. When you stand under the fan, you’ll feel the breeze. Set the fan to

“reverse” in the winter. Hot air rises and the fan will circulate the warm air near the

ceiling to other parts of the room.

6 Clean or replace the air filter in your heating and cooling system once a month.

It’s one of the simplest, most inexpensive ways to save on energy costs.

7 Make sure heating and cooling outlets and return-air vents are not

blocked by furniture, draperies, doors or other obstacles.

8 Turn off lights when you do not need them.

9 Use ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent lighting when possible.

These bulbs and fixtures use 2/3 less electricity to produce the same amount

of light as incandescent bulbs and last up to 10 times longer. They also put off

less heat, helping you to decrease summer cooling costs.

10 Use smaller lamps over work areas such as desktops so you can get the job

done without lighting the whole room.

11 For best operation, your refrigerator’s temperature should be between

37 degrees and 40 degrees.

12 Decide what you want before you open

the refrigerator. Your refrigerator accounts

for more than 5 percent of your energy bill.

The longer the door is open, the more

energy you waste.

ExplorE - Close your refrigerator door on a dollar bill. If you can pull it out easily, the door gasket may need to be replaced. T ight sealing gaskets keep cold air in and lower your energy costs.

Did you know?Only 10 percent of an incandescent bulb’s energy is turned into light.

The other 90 percent is converted into heat.

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13 Avoid putting refrigerators or freezers in spaces without air

conditioning, like garages, if possible.

14 Use hot water wisely. Your water heater is the second largest

energy user in your home. Save energy by asking your Mom or Dad

to wrap your electric water heater in an insulating blanket. They are

inexpensive and available at most home improvement stores. Blankets

should be used on electric water heaters only.

15 Have mom or dad turn down the thermostat on your water heater to 120°.

16 Wait until your dishwasher is full before using it. Dishwashers

use the same amount of hot water and electricity to wash a partial load

as a full load.

17 Always use the shortest washing cycle that will let you clean your dishes.

18 Turn off the drying cycle on your dishwasher if you do not need

dry dishes immediately.

19 Wash dishes in the coolest part of

the day to keep from adding moisture

and heat to your home.

20 When washing clothes, wash a full load but do not overload. A small load in a

washing machine uses just as much energy as a full load.

You can also. . .

ExplorE - Wait until it ’s dark and set a flashlight outside your front and back doors and take a look. A little light shining through the cracks may be no big deal, but if there’s a lot of light, it’s time for your parents to weatherstrip or caulk.

Did you know?Saving energy not only saves money but also helps the

environment and saves non-renewable energy sources such as coal and natural gas.

14

21 Wash clothes in warm or cold water and rinse them

in cold water. Use hot water only when necessary.

22 When using a clothes dryer, wait until you have

a full load. Also, separate drying loads into heavy and

lightweight items. The lightweight items take less time to dry, so you can run the

dryer for less time.

23 Always remember to clean the lint out of the dryer vent. A clogged dryer vent

wastes energy and is a fire hazard.

24 In the summer, wait until the cooler part of the day to dry clothes, cook and

take showers.

ExplorE - Did you know 75 percent of the elec trici ty used to power home electronics is used when they’re turned off? It ’s cal led “vampire energy” and you can save that energy by turning off the power strip or unplugging elec tronics l ike your computer, T V and stereo when you aren’t using them. Take a look around your house and see where you can save energy by unplugging things that aren’t being used.

This “pie chart” shows the percentage of energy use in the average home in Alabama.

Fridge: 5%

Lighting: 6%

Other: 25%

Heating and cooling: 50%

Water heating: 14%

15

Use the energy-saving tips you’ve read about in Energy Explorers to go around your house and find things you or your parents can do to make your house more energy efficient. You can make a big difference by doing your part.

❑ Is the thermostat set at 78 or higher if it’s summer, or

between 68 and 70 if it’s winter?

❑ Are the curtains open to let in the sun in the winter or

closed to keep the house cool in the summer?

❑ Is the caulking around the windows and doors in

good condition?

❑ Is weather-stripping flat or peeling?

❑ Are the ceiling fans on and turning in the proper

direction for the season?

❑ Have the air filters been cleaned or changed?

❑ Are the heating and cooling outlets and return-

air vents not blocked by furniture, draperies,

doors or other obstacles?

❑ Is the electric water heater wrapped in an

insulating blanket?

❑ Is the water heater set to 120 degrees?

❑ Is the refrigerator temperature set between 37

and 40 degrees?

❑ Are all lights not in use turned off?

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❑ Are cell phone and other chargers

unplugged when not in use?

❑ Is compact fluorescent lighting (CFL) used

where possible?

❑ Are rooms closed off when using a

window air-conditioner?

❑ Are garage doors closed to help keep

cold wind outside in the winter?

❑ Are smaller lamps over work areas being

used instead of lighting the whole room?

❑ Are you waiting until your dishwasher is

full before using it?

❑ Did you turn off the drying cycle on

your dishwasher if you do not need dry

dishes immediately?

❑ Are you using the shortest washing cycle

that will let you clean your dishes?

❑ Are you scraping off heavy

food before loading dishes into

the dishwasher?

❑ Are you washing dishes in the

coolest part of the day?

❑ Are you washing a full load of clothes

at a time?

❑ Are you washing clothes in warm or cold

water and rinsing them in cold water?

❑ When using a clothes dryer, do you wait

until you have a full load?

❑ Do you remember to clean the lint out of

the dryer vent?

❑ Do you wait until the cooler part of the

day to dry clothes, cook and take showers?

❑ Are you turning off the power strip or

unplugging electronics like your computer,

TV and stereo when

you’re not using them?

17

When you get your driver’s license in a few years, you might be plugging your car into an electrical socket instead of going to the gas station when it runs out of fuel.

Several automobile manufacturers are building new cars that run totally or partially on electricity. There are two basic kinds of plug-in electric vehicles:

1 Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV), which use only batteries as their method of power.

2 Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV), which use a combination of battery power and gasoline.

Electric vehicles are good for the environment because they cause less pollution than gasoline-powered cars. In fact, vehicles that run on electricity alone have no tailpipe emissions.

Since 2000, Alabama Power has been a leader in developing “non-road” electric vehicles – things like the baggage movers you see at the airport or the cranes that unload ships. Now we’re testing on-road vehicles, including electric bucket trucks and the Tesla, to find out how far they can go on a single charge and how much electricity is needed to charge the battery.

Electric vehicles

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Now that you’ve learned how to use energy efficiently, what’s next? In the future, you might be able to use energy “smarter” too! Alabama Power and other utilities are investing a lot of time and money in research and technology that could allow you to know exactly how much energy you’re using at any time of the day or night.

You might also be able to pay less for electricity in the future if you use it at a certain time.

Smart Power

Take the Energy Explorer Pledge

I understand that we must act now to keep our energy future bright.

I understand the difference between renewable and nonrenewable sources and the advantages of each.

I understand how electricity gets to my home and how my family can use it more efficiently.

My class has talked about ways we could use energy more efficiently at school.

My class has used the information in “Energy Explorers” to develop other class projects. • I pledge to use energy more efficiently in the future. • I pledge to review the checklist on energy efficient at home regularly. • I pledge to share the energy-efficiency tips I’ve learned with others and continue to be an “Energy Explorer.”

Your signature ___________________________________________________________________ Your parents signature ___________________________________________________________________

want to learn even more?Visit http://www.southerncompany.com/learningpower/ for more facts and fun

activities about electricity. And study hard in school – you might make the next great

discovery in the world of electricity!

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Now that you’ve explored the

world of electricity, let’s

review what you’ve learned.

1 . First, let’s review the way we make electricity. List some of the best

things about each of the fuel sources below:

• Coal ________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Water _____________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Nuclear ____________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

• Solar and Wind _________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

2 . Why is it important to use energy efficiently? ___________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

__ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. What are the easiest ways for your family to save energy? __________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. When you grow up, what discovery would you like to make to help

Alabama Power make electricity? ________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

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There are many ways that you and your family can continue to save energy. By

studying energy efficiency, you can make the most out of the energy you’re using.

Saving energy is a great way to help the environment.

circle the things in this house that are energy efficient.

Put an x on the things that aren’t.

Explore your Energy-efficiency detective skills!

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1

3

4 5 6

9

10

8

7

2

CrossWord puzzle Across1. A renewable form of energy that comes from the sun.

3. One simple way to save energy is to make sure you turn off overhead _____________ when not in use.

4. Energy that is used in our everyday lives to power our homes.

6. This can be used in the summer or winter to circulate air and keep your home at a comfortable temperature.

7. Save energy by wrapping your electric water heater in an insulating _____________ .

9. Energy that comes from reusable resources like water, sunlight and wind is known as _____________ .

Down1. These use limestone to clean the sulfur dioxide that is formed when coal burns before it goes into the atmosphere.

2. Turning off power strips and unplugging electronics around your home help save you from this kind of energy loss.

5. America’s most abundant energy resource.

6. Clean or replace the air _____________ in your heating and cooling system once a month.

8. Turn off the drying _____________ on your dishwasher if you do not need dry dishes immediately.

10. In the summer, this should be set in the78 degree range to save energy.

Word searchWord search

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COALCONSERVEEFFICIENT

ELECTRICITYENERGY

EXPLOREFAN

NUCLEARPOWER

RENEWABLESAFETYSOLAR

TEMPERATURETHERMOSTAT

WATERWIND

1 . Always fly kites in an open area – never near power lines.

2 . Never climb trees near power lines.

3. Keep fingers and other objects away from electrical outlets.

4. Never go near downed power lines or substations.

5. Keep ladders and TV antennas away from power lines.

6. Never pull out a plug by the cord.

7. Stay away from electrical equipment (meters, transformers, etc.).

8. Don’t touch anything electrical when you’re wet.

9. Don’t swim or play outside on a rainy day. Water and tall things attract lightning.

10. Never use radios, hair dryers or any electrical appliance near the bathtub.

11 . Obey all safety signs.

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Be SafeAround Electric ity

Word searchWord search

23

Who knew electricity was so

powerful? It helps make the

world go ‘round. Alabama Power

works hard to get it right to your

doorstep to turn on your lights, make

your air conditioning run, as well as all

your household appliances. But we

need your help to use it safely,

so that nobody gets hurt, and

efficiently, so that there’s

plenty to go around. To learn

more about how we make

the electricity that powers Alabama

and how to use it more efficiently, go to

alabamapower.com/learningpower.

COPYRIGHT © 2011 ALABAMA POWER COMPANY - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED WORLDWIDE.

©