-
700 BCE
Solar-Fires From The Sun
Early man learns to focus energy from the sun and create fire. -
212 BCE
Solar-Archimedes’ Heat Ray
Archimedes, a Greek inventor, according to historians, put solar energy to use as a weapon in the 3rd Century BC. -
Solar-The First Solar Oven
A solar oven, or solar cooker, uses sunlight to heat meals or drinks. The only fuel it needs is solar. In 1767, the first solar oven was invented, created by Horace de Saussure a Swiss physicist. -
Solar-The Discovery of the Photovoltaic Effect
Edmund Becquerel, a French physicist, only 19 years old at the time, discovered the Photovoltaic effect, meaning, A solar cell converts sunlight into electricity. -
Wind-U.S. Wind Engine Company Established
Daniel Halladay and John Burnham started the U.S. Wind Engine Company and built the Halladay Windmill, which was made for the landscape of Western America. -
Solar-Photoconductivity in Selenium
Willoughby Smith, an English engineer, discovered solid selenium conducts more electricity in light. -
Solar-Electricity from Light
Professor William Grylls Adams, and his student, Richard Evans Day, were the first to see an electrical current when a material was exposed to light. They put two electrodes onto a plate of selenium, and saw a tiny amount of electricity when the plate was exposed to light. -
Solar-The First Design of a Photovoltaic Cell
American inventor, Charles Fritts, The first to come up with plans for how to make solar cells. He based his designs on selenium wafers -
Wind-Wind Power Used for Pumping Water and Electricity
in America wind power is used on farms to pump water as well as generate electricity for homes and businesses -
Wind-Steel Blades Invented for Windmills
steel blades are used increase efficiency and the use of turbines grew as the population grew -
Wind-Wind Power is Showcased at the World’s Fair
The World's Fair in Chicago showcases windmill companies and their wind turbine designs. -
Hydropower-Bureau of Reclamation Established
The Bureau of Reclamation gets involved in managing water resources to provide water to the dry western areas of the United States. -
Solar-Albert Einstein and the Photoelectric Effect
Albert Einstein formulated the photon theory of light, which describes how light can “liberate” electrons on a metal surface. -
Solar-Single-Crystal Silicon
Jan Czochralski, a Polish scientist, discovered a method to grow single-crystal silicon. His discoveries led to solar cells based on silicon. -
Hydropower-U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Build Hydroelectric Plants
Congress authorizes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to build hydroelectric plants in the 1920s. Today, the Corps operates 75 power plants, this makes it the fifth largest electric supplier in the United States. -
Hydropower-First Major Pumped Storage Plant
To make the Housatonic River have more hydroelectric power capacity , Connecticut Light and Power starts flooding what would become Candlewood Lake and builds the Rocky River Plant, the first large-scale pumped-storage development in the United States. -
Hydropower-Tennessee Valley Authority Established
The Tennessee Valley Authority is given the job of controlling flooding and opening up the Tennessee River for navigation. -
Hydropower-Federal Power Commission Now Independent Regulatory Agency
The Federal Power Commission’s gets authority over all hydroelectric projects, public or private. -
Hydropower-Hoover Dam Built
The Hoover Dam is built and will provide irrigation water, control floods, and supply power. -
Hydropower-Bonneville Power Administration Established
President Roosevelt signs the Bonneville Project Act, which establishes the Bonneville Power Administration. -
Hydropower-New Deal Increases Hydropower
Hydropower accounts for 40% of electrical generation in the United States—more than tripling the capacity in 20 years. -
Wind-Largest Turbine Powered Local Utility During WWII
The largest wind turbine at the time operated on a Vermont hilltop known as “Grandpa’s Knob.” Its 1.25 megawatts fed electric power to the local utilities during World War II for a while. -
Solar-The Birth of Photovoltaics
David Chapin, Calvin Fuller and Gerald Pearson of Bell Labs, created the world’s first photovoltaic cell (solar cell). -
Period: to
Hydropower-Environmental Regulations Launched
Many new rules and regulations are put into effect, such as, National Environmental Policy Act, Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, and the Fish and Wildlife Coordination Act. -
Wind-Skyrocketing Gas Prices Renewed Interest in Wind Power
oil prices skyrocket and so does research in wind turbines and the power they generate. -
Wind-President Signed Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978
the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 is passed by Congress, which has companies buy a certain amount of electricity from renewable energy sources. -
Wind-First Large Wind Farms are Installed
The first large wind farms are installed in California. A greater awareness of environmental affects and proper siting, lead to the development of lower impact designs. -
Wind-NASA Scientists Developed Method to Predict Turbine Performance
National Aeronautics and Space Administration scientists Larry Viterna and Bob Corrigan develop the most common method used for predicting wind turbine performance. -
Hydropower-Bath County Pumped Storage Plant Begins Operations
The Bath County, Virginia, is the world’s largest pumped storage plant for 20 years. -
Wind-Production Tax Credit Established Focus on Renewable Energy
The Energy Policy Act gives a production tax credit and re-establishes a focus on renewable energy use. -
Wind-National Wind Technology Center Built
The National Wind Technology Center is built to be the nation's best wind energy technology research facility. -
Hydropower-Hydropower Research Foundation Established
The National Hydropower Association established the Hydropower Research Foundation to provide a place for research and promote affordable hydropower. -
Hydropower-President Signs Energy Policy Act of 2005
President Bush signs the Energy Policy Act into law as an attempt to combat growing energy problems. The act changed U.S. energy policy by providing financial incentives for energy production of various types including hydropower. -
Wind-20% by 2030 Report Released
The U.S. Department of Energy publishes their 20% Wind Energy by 2030 report. -
Wind-U.S. Installed Capacity Reaches 25.4 Gigawatts
the capacity of functioning wind turbines reaches 25.4 gigawatts. -
Hydropower-DOE Upgrades Hydropower Facilities
DOE’s Water Power Program invests in upgrades to the nation’s existing hydropower facilities. These upgrades aimed to increase efficiency and lower cost. -
Wind-National Offshore Wind Strategy Announced
A proposal to build offshore wind farms is announced. -
Hydropower-Bills Boost Small Hydro
The Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act (H.R. 267) and the Bureau of Reclamation Small Conduit Hydropower Development and Rural Jobs Act (H.R. 678) are written to help the development of small U.S. hydropower projects and are signed into law by President Obama. -
Wind-First Grid-Connected Offshore Wind Turbine in the U.S.
The University of Maine, with a $12 million investment from the U.S. Department of Energy, deploys a floating platform wind turbine. -
Wind-U.S. Installed Capacity Reaches 60 Gigawatts
The amount of wind energy produced in the United States becomes able to power 15 million homes. -
Wind-Wind Vision Report Released
Building off of the 2008 20% Wind Energy by 2030 initiative, the Wind Vision Report is released showing that 35% wind energy is possible by 2050. -
Wind-U.S. Installed Capacity Reaches Nearly 66 Gigawatts
U.S. Installed wind turbine Capacity Reaches Nearly 66 Gigawatts -
Hydropower-Hydropower Vision Report Released
The Hydropower Vision report is released.