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Period: to
Enegry in the United States
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Earliest Hydroelectric Power
The earliest hydroelectric power generation in the U.S. was in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where in 1880, sixteen street lights were powered by a generator using a mechanical belt driven by the water turbine at the Wolverine Chair factory. -
First PV Cells built
It was during the 1880’s that the first light converting photovoltaic cells were built. These cells were made of selenium and had an efficiency of one to two percent. -
Old Power Stations
In 1881 the Schoelkopf Power Station No. 1 was constructed on the U.S. side of NIagra Falls, which would operate until 1904 -
First Edison Hydroelectric Power Plant
The first Edison hydroelectric power plant, the Vulcan Street Plant, began operating September 30, 1882, in Appleton, Wisconsin, with an output of about 12.5 kilowatts. -
US Passes a Power Law
By 1920 as 40% of the power produced in the United States was hydroelectric, the Federal Power Act was enacted into law. The Act created the Federal Power Commission to regulate hydroelectric power plants on federal land and water. -
THe Hoover Dam Opened
The Hoover dam was constructed from 1930 to 1936. The power plant was the world's largest hydroelectric power plant in 1936. -
Hydroelectricity is used for Farmiing
In 1937, the government created the Bonneville Power Administration, whose main focus was electrification of farms and small communities with public power from hydroelectricity. -
Solar Power Mainstream Usage
The first solar water heated office building was built during this time by an architect named Frank Bridgers. It was the first mainstream cause of solar power usage -
THe US Government Gets Involved in Testing
The US Department of Energy financed the Federal Photovoltaic Utilization Program. This program was responsible for the installation and testing of over 3,000 photovoltaic systems. -
Blythe Solar Power Project
The California Energy Commission unanimously approved the Blythe Solar Power project on September 15, 2010. The Blythe Solar Power Project is a solar power station under construction in California, expected to be finished in 2013. It will be one the the largest, possiblty the second largest in the US.
