Societal impact of AC generators

assess the effects of the development of AC generators on

society and the environment

The development of AC generators has led to the

widespread application of some of the useful features of
AC electricity. AC generators are simpler and cheaper to
build and operate than DC generators. Because AC
electricity can easily be transformed, it can be transmitted
cheaply over great distances, allowing a wide range of
primary energy sources to be exploited. This has allowed
the development of extensive, reliable AC electricity
networks for domestic and industrial use throughout much
of the world. This in turn has had both positive and
negative effects on society and the environment.

The affordability of electricity has promoted the

development of a wide range of machines, processes and
appliances that depends on electricity. Many tasks that
were once performed by hand are now accomplished with
a purpose-built electrical appliance and most domestic and
industrial work requires less labour. Other new tasks can
now be achieved that were formerly impossible, such as
electronic communication. However, this has led to a
reduction in the demand for unskilled labour and an
increase in long-term unemployment. The ready
availability of electricity has led to increasing dependency
on electricity. Essential services such as hospitals are
forced to have a back-up electricity supply, just in case.
Any disruption to supply compromises safety and causes
widespread inconvenience and loss of production. A major
electricity failure can precipitate an economic crisis. The
global electricity industry lobby is very powerful but is not
always just. Social values may give way to economic
pressures, especially in developing countries where often
the poorest people lose their livelihood to make way for
new energy developments.
 AC power generating plants can be located well away
from urban areas, shifting pollution away from homes and
workplaces, thus improving the environment of cities.
However, many environmental effects of the growth in the
electricity industry are negative. Power transmission lines
criss-cross the country with a marked visual impact on the
environment, often cutting a swathe through
environmentally sensitive areas. Remote wilderness areas
can easily be tapped for energy resources such as their
hydro-electric potential. Air pollution from thermal power
stations burning fossil fuels may be a cause of acid rain. In
addition it contributes to the global increase of
atmospheric carbon dioxide which may be linked to long-
term global climate change. Nuclear power stations leave
an environmental legacy of radioactive waste that will last
many thousands of years.

The effects of the development of AC generators on

society and the environment have been far-reaching. Some
effects have changed the way people live, but not always
for the better. Many people now enjoy increased
convenience and leisure, many new industries flourish on
new technologies made possible by electricity, but the
dislocation and unemployment experienced by some can
be devastating. Many aspects of the development of
electricity have led to environmental degradation, often in
remote areas where the long-term effects are poorly
understood. These effects seem likely to be ongoing, as the
compromise between economic interests and social and
environmental values often favours the economic. We have
not yet learned to live with AC electricity in a sustainable
way.