Energy basics.
No expertise required.

Power is the rate at which energy is used or produced. A kilowatt (kW) measures power; a kilowatt-hour (kWh) measures energy. A device drawing 1 kW continuously for one hour uses 1 kWh.

The grid connects electricity producers and users. Transmission lines move power over long distances; distribution networks deliver it to buildings. The system needs to balance supply and demand continuously.

Multiply the energy used in kWh by the applicable price per kWh to estimate the energy charge. Fixed fees, delivery charges and taxes may be added. If 1 kWh costs $0.15, a device using 2 kWh has an energy charge of $0.30. These prices are illustrative, not current rates.

Liquefied natural gas is natural gas cooled until it becomes a liquid. This lets it travel by specialized ship where pipelines cannot reach. It must be warmed back into a gas for many end uses.

Fission splits atoms and releases heat. In a nuclear power plant, that heat is used to generate electricity. Operating a reactor and managing its fuel and waste require specialized systems.

Storage holds energy for later use. A battery can charge at one time and discharge at another. Storage shifts energy through time; it does not create a new energy supply.

A mineral can be considered critical because of its importance to the economy and risks to its supply. Lists vary by country. Energy technologies rely on different materials, so no single mineral tells the whole story.

Local supply, infrastructure, demand, taxes and market rules all matter. Two places using the same fuel may still have different final prices.