Alternative Energy Timeline

By Xmine Rally
  • 5000 BCE

    Early Uses of Renewable Energy

    Wind power: Ancient Egyptians used wind-powered sails to travel on the Nile River.
  • 2000 BCE

    Pre-1900: Early Uses of Renewable Energy

    Water mills: Early civilisations in Mesopotamia and Greece harness water to grind grain, marking the first large-scale use of hydropower.

  • 1900 - 1940: Early Developments in Alternative Energy

    Solar power: Albert Einstein publishes work on the photoelectric effect, laying the groundwork for the development of solar cells.

  • 1900 - 1940: Early Developments in Alternative Energy

    Wind power: Large wind turbines are developed in the U.S. and Europe, though they remain limited in scope.

  • 1940 - 1970: Growth of Conventional and Renewable Energies

    First solar panel: American engineer Russell Ohl invented the modern photovoltaic (solar) cell.

  • 1940 - 1970: Growth of Conventional and Renewable Energies

    Silicon solar cells: Researchers at Bell Labs develop the first practical silicon solar cell, with efficiency of around 6%.

  • 1940 - 1970: Growth of Conventional and Renewable Energies

    Geothermal energy: Early experiments begin for harnessing geothermal energy in California and other regions with volcanic activity.

  • 1940 - 1970: Growth of Conventional and Renewable Energies

    Nuclear power: The first commercial nuclear power plants are developed, growing alongside fossil fuel energy infrastructure.

  • 1970s - 1980s: Energy Crisis and Renewed Interest in Alternatives

    Oil Crisis: The OPEC oil embargo leads to widespread interest in alternative energy, as reliance on oil becomes a geopolitical issue.

  • 1970s - 1980s: Energy Crisis and Renewed Interest in Alternatives

    Wind energy: The first commercial wind turbine capable of generating electricity, the Windpower 1, is introduced in Vermont, USA.

  • 1970s - 1980s: Energy Crisis and Renewed Interest in Alternatives

    Department of Energy (DOE) established: U.S. government launches the Department of Energy, focusing on research in alternative energy.

  • 1970s - 1980s: Energy Crisis and Renewed Interest in Alternatives

    Solar energy: The cost of solar panels begins to fall, with several governments (including the U.S., Japan, and Germany) launching large-scale solar programs.

  • 1970s - 1980s: Energy Crisis and Renewed Interest in Alternatives

    First offshore wind farm: The world’s first offshore wind farm is built off the coast of Denmark, setting the stage for future developments.

  • 1990s: Technological Advances and Global Environmental Awareness

    Fuel cells: Significant progress is made in hydrogen fuel cell technology, with the first hydrogen-powered vehicles and prototype fuel cell power plants emerging.

  • 1990s: Technological Advances and Global Environmental Awareness

    Wind power: Denmark installs its first commercial offshore wind farm, helping wind power gain traction as a viable alternative energy source.

  • 1990s: Technological Advances and Global Environmental Awareness

    Kyoto Protocol: International climate agreement is adopted, urging developed nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promoting investment in cleaner energy technologies.

  • 2000s: Scaling Up Alternative Energy

    Renewable Energy Technologies Development: The world sees the beginning of significant investments in wind and solar power, with renewable energy's share of global electricity generation beginning to rise.

  • 2000s: Scaling Up Alternative Energy

    Hydrogen economy: The U.S. government announces the Hydrogen Fuel Initiative, aiming to develop hydrogen fuel cells as a clean alternative to gasoline.

  • 2000s: Scaling Up Alternative Energy

    Solar PV: The price of solar panels continues to drop, spurring growth in commercial solar power installations, particularly in Europe, Japan, and the U.S.

  • 2000s: Scaling Up Alternative Energy

    Geothermal power: The U.S. has become the world leader in geothermal energy production, utilizing geothermal fields in the western states.

  • 2000s: Scaling Up Alternative Energy

    Smart grid: The U.S. government invests $4.5 billion in smart grid infrastructure to improve electricity distribution, integrating renewable energy sources more efficiently into the grid.

  • 2010s: Global Shift Toward Clean Energy

    Paris Agreement: Nearly 200 countries adopt the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to below 2°C, signalling a global commitment to renewable energy and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

  • 2010s: Global Shift Toward Clean Energy

    Offshore wind: The UK opens the world's largest offshore wind farm, the London Array, with 175 turbines producing 630 MW of power.

  • 2010s: Global Shift Toward Clean Energy

    Solar power: Global solar photovoltaic capacity surpasses 100 gigawatts (GW), driven by large-scale projects in China, Europe, and the U.S.

  • 2010s: Global Shift Toward Clean Energy

    Battery storage: Breakthroughs in lithium-ion battery technology lead to a rapid decrease in costs, making energy storage a viable solution for renewable energy systems.

  • 2010s: Global Shift Toward Clean Energy

    Wind power: Onshore wind turbines begin to generate electricity at prices competitive with coal and natural gas in many regions.

  • 2010s: Global Shift Toward Clean Energy

    Hydrogen: The European Union launches a hydrogen strategy for a carbon-neutral Europe, including plans for large-scale hydrogen production and infrastructure.

  • 2020s: Renewable Energy and the Race to Net Zero

    Global renewables growth: Solar and wind power together make up a significant portion of new global power capacity, surpassing coal as the largest source of new electricity generation.

  • 2020s: Renewable Energy and the Race to Net Zero

    Green hydrogen: The first commercial green hydrogen plants begin operation in Europe, using renewable electricity to produce hydrogen at scale.

  • 2020s: Renewable Energy and the Race to Net Zero

    Floating wind farms: The first commercial floating offshore wind farm begins operation off the coast of Scotland, opening up new possibilities for wind energy.

  • 2020s: Renewable Energy and the Race to Net Zero

    Solar energy: Solar power continues to see record growth worldwide, with new records for global capacity and falling costs. Advances in perovskite solar cells and solar roofing systems begin to gain attention as next-gen technologies.

  • 2020s: Renewable Energy and the Race to Net Zero

    Fusion energy: Breakthroughs in nuclear fusion energy have occurred, with significant milestones in achieving net-positive energy from fusion reactions, signalling the potential future role of fusion in the global energy mix.