Electrification

Electrification is the process of powering by electricity and, in many contexts, the introduction of such power by changing over from an earlier power source.

In the context of history of technology and economic development, electrification refers to the build-out of the electricity generation and electric power distribution systems in Britain, the United States, and other now-developed countries from the mid-1880s until around 1950. In the context of sustainable energy, electrification refers to the build-out of super grids with energy storage to accommodate the energy transition to renewable energy and the switch of end-uses to electricity.

The electrification of particular sectors of the economy, particularly out of context, is called by modified terms such as factory electrification, household electrification, rural electrification and railway electrification. In the context of sustainable energy, terms such as transport electrification (referring to electric vehicles) or heating electrification (referring to heat pumps) are used. It may also apply to changing industrial processes such as smelting, melting, separating or refining from coal or coke heating,^{[clarification needed]} or to chemical processes to some type of electric process such as electric arc furnace, electric induction or resistance heating, or electrolysis or electrolytic separating.