In german, the term power generation is devided into two words: "Energiewandlung" and "Leistungsbereitstellung". The first one, "Energiewandlung", could be translated with energy conversion. The meaning of the second one is the way to provide the power. But anyhow the english word power generation describes the whole process of gaining power at its best. It includes all tasks and operations in the process of gaining power. Furthermore it includes the power supply or the controlling of power plants and grids as well as the storage of energy. In the following the mentioned terms of power generation should be explained.

At first energy conversion means the transformation of one type of energy into another. In common mechanical and elelectrical energy are mentioned as the most valuable types of energy. This is why power generation concentrates on the efficient ways to transform ernergy sources (f.e. wind, biomass, coal, etc.) in this type of energy.

Another required type of energy in our society is heat. But low level heat could not completely be transformed back in other types of energy, contrary to mechanical and electrical energy. Therefore it belongs to the low quality energies. Heat is often a waste product at the production of mechanical and electrical energy, but it can be used for heating tasks.

Due to its unlimited convertibility in each other type of energy electricity is a high level energy. Furthermore the transportation of electricity over a far distance is comparatively easy and low-loss. In Germany 19% of the end energy are used as electricity. It is the target of the Center for Power Generation to gain solutions for an highly efficient electricity generation.

Primary energy sources for the generation can be conventional (coal, gas, oil) as well as renewable energy sources(biomass, wind, water). Presently the renewable part in the energy mix in Germany is up to 17% (end of 2010) and could only be raised slowly and combined with high invenstion costs. But to achieve the arranged targets for climate protection the CPG research focusses also on raising the efficience of the conventional technologies to gain electricity.

The conventional power plant technologies contain all technologies which gain electricity by using prodominantly fossil energy sources. Examples are big coal power plants with water/steam circle, gas and steam turbine power plants as well as nuclear power plants. But these technologies include also garbage incineration plants or biomass power plants using steam generated by the combustion of garbage or biomass. Furthermore plants with steady-state motors using diesel, gas, oil or biogas are counted to conventional technologies.

The common ground of most of  the technologies is the fact that they generate steam with high temperatures and a high pressure by combusting the energy source. This steam is expanded in a turbine. By the transformation of the mechanical energy in a generator the electricity is finally generated. The research on this topic is primarily concerned with efficient combustion technologies, steam generation with high pressure and temperatures, dynamics and controlling of power plants, efficient design of water/steam circles and optimized steam turbine technologies.

Recent research approaches concerning conventional power plants are occupied with the combustion with an oxygen atmosphere or with the gasification of coal and the following combustion of the gas. The target is to get the CO₂ out of the produced exhaust gas as easy as possible.

In most cases the electricity generator and the consumer are locally seperated. Mainly at big conventional power plants the electricity has to be transported over a big distance to the consumer.

The responsible design and devellopment of the grid will be much more important if there will be more and more local electricity input by renewable generation because the big production is only possible in a few parts of Europe (f.e. wind electricity in the North Sea, solar electricity in the Mediterranean region. Research approaches have to concentrate on low-loss possibilities to transport energy and of course on the controlling of the grid.

Disregarding the improvement of the grid the storage technologies will gain more importance in the futur. In a few years the electricity generation will depend on the weather and though can not be controlled. Furthermore the power of conventional power plants can not be regulated as quick as those conditions would require. This is why storage technologies have to save the stability of electricity supply and to balance the up- and downturns.

At the moment the most frequent used technologies for the balance are pump storage plants. The capacity of those plants is - mainly in Germany - strongly limited. Though the research is looking for new storage technologies, f.e. salt storage at solar heat and compressed air storages.

But at lower ranges of capacity efficient storage technologies have to be developped for example for electro mobility.