Alternative Energy

By MassimoP
  • 200 BCE

    Water Energy is Harnessed in Europe

    Mills were powered in Europe by water energy. It was the first use of renewable energy.
  • 900

    Windmills in Persia

    To pump water and grind grain, Persians built windmills. The use of windmills spread to other parts of the world after this, such as India and China.

  • Dutch Build Windmills

    In the Netherlands, windmills were being constructed for multiple uses such as grinding grain and spices, sawing wood and raising the water level.

  • Windmills in the West

    Western homesteaders and railroad builders start using windmills, which had become a popular water pumping tool.

  • Solar Power System Developed

    Augustine Mouchot created a system that utilised the sun's heat to produce steam to drive machinery

  • First Demonstration of Generating Electricity from Sunlight

    A selenium solar cell was utilised to convert sunlight into electricity for the first time.

  • First Commercial Scale Hydroelectric Plant

    The hydroelectric plant went into operation in Appleton Wisconsin.

  • WIndmill Used to Generate Electricity

    In Cleveland, Ohio, Charles F. Brush created the first windmill to generate electricity.

  • First Geothermal District Heating System

    In Boise, Idaho, the first heating system that utilised geothermal energy was created.

  • First Geothermal Power Plant

    A power plant in California utilised geysers to generate electricity.

  • Commercial Wind Turbines Sold

    For the first time, commercially available wind turbines were developed and sold to generate electricity on remote farms.

  • Hoover Dam Built

    The world's largest hydroelectric power plant, Hoover Dam, underwent construction for four years before being completed.

  • Controlled Nuclear Chain Reaction

    For the first time, nuclear fission was controlled, and opportunities to generate electricity arose.

  • Nuclear Power Reactor Built

    For the first time, a nuclear power reactor was created to generate electricity in Idaho.

  • Satellite Utilizes Solar Cells

    A US satellite that was in orbit used the sunlight to generate electricity to power itself.

  • Geothermal Electric Plants Built Commercially

    Geothermal electric plants were built in California using geysers.

  • Solar Cells Lower Price

    Solar cells became more cost effective for use on land, and so it was utilised by more people

  • Wind Energy Development Advances

    Advancement in wind energy technology stemmed from federal involvement.

  • Solar Powered Village

    Tohono O'odham Reservation, Arizona, was the first fully solar powered village.

  • Wind Farm Built

    The world's first wind farm was constructed in New Hampshire.

  • Chernobyl Accident

    The Chernobyl incident was the largest nuclear accident ever, and took place in Chernobyl in the Soviet Union.

  • Ivanpah Goes Online

    The largest solar power generation plant begins to generate electricity.

  • New Mexico Commits To Use 100% Renewable Energy

    The state of New Mexico has vowed to use 100% renewable energy by the year 2050.