Comparison of AC and DC in Renewable Electrical Energy

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Abstract
Electrical energy is in two major form since its invention, these two forms were basically
invented by different individuals. These includes the Direct current form which was invented by
Daniel Edison and the Alternating Current which was invented by Nikole Tesla. Over many
years since there invention there have been deep discussion which form is better than the other
and should be used extensively. This paper hence will analyzed the key difference of these form
of renewable electrical energy which is produced from several generation planet (hybrid). The
comparison will be on cost (which one is cheaper than the other, safe, i.e which one is more
dangerous than the other, and the energy consumption, i.e in which form is more energy
consumed.

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Table of content
Contents
Abstract............................................................................................................................................2
Table of content...............................................................................................................................3
List of table......................................................................................................................................3
Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
Literature review..............................................................................................................................4
Working and Difference between AC and DC............................................................................6
Alternating Current (AC).........................................................................................................6

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Direct current (DC)..................................................................................................................8
Research questions.........................................................................................................................10
A comparative study based on the relevant criteria...................................................................10
Cost.........................................................................................................................................10
Safety......................................................................................................................................13
Energy usage..........................................................................................................................14
Energy storage........................................................................................................................14
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................15
List of table
Table 2: Showing Cost of electrical energy and electronic power converters................................9
Table 3: Showing the consumption in a typical hybrid house in percentage................................10
Table 4: Showing the cost comparison between AC and DC in hybrid house..............................11

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Introduction
When the invention of electricity took place up to now there has been several changes
and some of these key changes in the form in which electricity can be for renewable energy.
Today the main and the only ways in which electricity can be are the direct current (DC) and the
alternating current (AC). Current or electricity is the movement of the electrons in a conductor
(always referred to as wires). The key difference between the two is the direction of flow of
electrons. Just from their names in direct current, the electrons will flow in just one direction
while in alternating current the electrons will flow as it keeps on switching directions i.e
sometimes going” backwards” and sometimes going “forward. ”
Literature review
The comparison between which form of electrical power is better and should be adopted
led to cold war between the Direct current guy known as Thomas Edison and the man who
invented AC electricity by the name Nikole Tesla. Everyone has the key advantage of his
invention and the limitation of the other person ́s invention (Arrillaga, 2010). For example,
Nikole Tesla claimed that in the transportation of DC power there is a lot of power loss since this
form cannot be transformed ( stepped up or down) while Daniel Edison claimed that AC power
is very dangerous and can cause the death of an individual when in operation due to its operating
frequency.
Edison explained this using a dog which was electrocuted and he liked this to danger this
form may cause to a human being if it is fully adopted. The two were both rights in their context

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and for this, it is better to fully analyse the difference between the two and this will help us to see
which form should be adopted where and why and this may also depend on an individual ́s
preference (Bostick, 2013). The two forms of electrical energy are generated from several
renewable energy and transported to hybrid houses. The flow of DC current can be illustrated
using the following diagram;
Figure 1: Showing the current flow in a DC (McNichol, 2011).
And in AC the flow of current can be illustrated using figure 2 below;