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The Term "Electricity"
The word "Electricity" was coined from the word "Elektron" by a man named William Gilbert (from England). Gilbert wrote about the eletrification of many substances. "Electric Force," "Magnetic Pole," and "Electric Attraction" were also coined by him. -
Samuel Morey - First Use of Ethanol
Samuel Morey developed an engine that ran on ethanol and turpentine. -
Oil (Petroleum)
Oil was first discovered when a homemade rig near Titusville in northwestern Pennsylvania drilled down 70 feet and came up coated with oil. This rig was owned by "Colonel" Edwin L. Drake. -
Solar Energy
Solar radiation was able to be directly converted into mechanical power by a mathematics instructor, Auguste Mouchout, from France. -
Hydropower
Street lamps in the city of Niagara Falls were powered by hydropower. -
Coal
Coal was discovered near Richmond, Virgina. -
Geothermal Energy
Larderello in Tuscany, Italy, was (and is still) the home to the first dry steam geothermal power plant. It is still in use today, powering about 1 million households. -
Nuclear Energy
For the first time, nuclear energy generrated more electricity than oil in the U.S. -
Natural Gas Usage
About 1.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas were reported as being used for vehicles. -
Wind Energy
U.S. wind power produced enough electricity, on average, to power the equivalent of over 2.5 million homes.
