# Steam turbines and thermal power plants: Overview

The boiling-water machines behind coal, nuclear and biomass power

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_steam_turbines/overview/

What this tile covers Boilers raise steam that spins turbines, in coal, oil, nuclear, biomass and waste plants. Share of use 9% share of final energy use (2025)

Share of world total final energy consumption (about 435 EJ, calculated: motor systems 13,462 TWh are 53% of electricity, so about 25,400 TWh or 91 EJ, and electricity is about 21% of final energy) that passes through this device or is used by this sector, latest year available. Electricity-based devices use electricity's 21% share of final energy (IEA WEO 2025). Overlaps between devices and sectors are allowed and noted. Coal (34%) plus nuclear (about 9%) made about 43% of world electricity in 2025, nearly all through steam turbines; 43% of electricity's 21% share of final energy is about 9.0% (calculated). Lower bound: excludes biomass, waste, geothermal and the steam stage of combined-cycle plants. Counts electricity delivered, so overlaps generators and transformers. Source: [Global Energy Review 2026: Electricity supply](https://www.iea.org/reports/global-energy-review-2026/electricity-supply), International Energy Agency.

#### Key facts

| **Chain** | Chemical (coal) → heat (boiler) → steam → mechanical (turbine) → electrical (generator) |
|---|---|

#### Included from the reference tables

- Coal power plant
- Oil-fired plant
- Rankine cycle
- Organic Rankine and Kalina cycles
- Stirling, hot-air and thermoacoustic engines

#### Linked to the material world
[Tc Thermal coal](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/thermal_coal/)[St Steel](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/steel/)[H₂O Water](https://www.materialinsights.org/commodities/water/)

#### Also in Conversion devices
[CCGT Gas turbines and combined cycle](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_gas_turbines/)[ICE Internal combustion engines and gensets](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_engines/)[Gen Generators and alternators](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_generators/)[Mot Electric motors and drives](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_motors/)[PE Transformers and power electronics](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_power_electronics/)[FC Fuel cells](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_fuel_cells/)[Elz Electrolysers](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_electrolysers/)[HP Heat pumps, air conditioning and refrigeration](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_heat_pumps/)[EH Electric heating](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_electric_heat/)[LED Lighting and displays](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_lighting/)[Blr Boilers, furnaces and stoves](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_combustion_heat/)

Explore paths from here
 More on this tile in the tabs above: science and limits, value chain, unit economics, engineering methods, equipment and suppliers.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_steam_turbines/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_steam_turbines/correlation/index.md)
- [Science and limits](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_steam_turbines/science/index.md)
- [Value chain](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_steam_turbines/valuechain/index.md)
- [Unit economics](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_steam_turbines/economics/index.md)
- [Engineering methods](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_steam_turbines/methods/index.md)
- [Equipment and suppliers](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_steam_turbines/equipment/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_steam_turbines/links/index.md)