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Period: to
Energy Timeline
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Benjamin Franklin and Electricity
In 1752 Benjamin Franklin conducted his famous kite-in-a-thunderstorm experiment and hypothesized many of the principles of electricity. He coined new terms like battery, conductor, and charge. His ideas would pave the way for future scientists studying electricity. -
First Electric Motor
William Sturgeon invented the first commutator-type direct current electric motor capable of turning machinery. The primary battery power required highly expensive zinc electrodes, so the first electric motors failed to become commercially successful. -
The First Fuel Cell
Sir William Robert Grove invented the first fuel cell. This device converts the chemical energy from a fuel into electricity through a chemical reaction with oxygen or another oxidizing agent. -
Edison's Light Bulb
Thomas Edison did not invent the first light bulb, but he did invent the first commercially practical incadescent light. He used a thin coiled carbon filament that when charged with electricity would light up. -
The First Solar Cell
Charles Fritts built the first solid state photovoltaic cell with only 1% efficiency. -
First Wind Turbine
Charles F. Brush invented the first automatically operated wind turbine that generated electricity in Cleveland Ohio. Wind turbines at first were considered economically inefficient compared to fossil fuels. Measuring 17 metres tall and using 144 cedar rotor blades, it had a capacity of 12 kilowatts. -
First Geothermal Energy
Prince Piero Ginori Conti experimented first with geothermal energy and in 1904 lit four light bulbs using the earth's energy. The experiment took place in Lardarello, Italy, which later became the site of the first commercial Geothermal Power Plant. -
Hoover Dam
On September 30, 1935 the Hoover Dam was built during the great depression by thousands of laborers. The dam generates hydroelectric energy for Nevada, Arizona, and California. -
Nuclear Bomb in Hiroshima
During the course of World War II the United States of America successfully used two nuclear bombs in Japan. The bomb dropped on Hiroshima, nicknamed "Little Boy", used nuclear fission reactions which released incredible amounts of energy and caused mass destruction. -
Chernobyl Disaster
The Chernobyl Disaster was a horrible nuclear accident in which the nuclear plant exploded due to system malfunctions and caused tons of damage. Not only was the near vicinity burned up but the accident also released toxic radiation and contaminated much of Ukraine and other parts of Europe. This event crippled the USSR economically since they had to pay over 18 billion rubles to cover damages from the explosion.
