Energy Timeline

By 1637460
  • 500

    Persia developes first windmills

    Persia developes first windmills
    500-900 AD Persia uses windmills to pump out water and grinding grain.
  • Jan 1, 1570

    Electricity

    Electricity
    Day and month N/A. While studying magnetism, William Gilbert creates the word electricity using Latin and Greek terms for amber.

  • Ethanol Engine

    Ethanol Engine
    Day and month N/A. Samuel Morey developes an engine that runs on ethanol and turpentine.

  • Solar Energy to Power

    Solar Energy to Power
    Day and month N/A. Auguste Mouchout converts solar energy directly into mechanical power.

  • X-rays discovered

    X-rays discovered
    Day and month N/A. Wilhelm Roentgen discovers x-rays

  • Geothermal plant in Tuscany

    Geothermal plant in Tuscany
    Day and month N/A. The first dry steam geothermal power plant is built in Laderello in Tuscany, Italy. The Larderello plant today provides power to about 1 million households.

  • First Nuclear Fission

    First Nuclear Fission
    Day and month N/A. Enrico Fermi unknowingly performs the first nuclear fission by irradiating uranium with neutrons.

  • Boulder (Hoover) Dam

    Boulder (Hoover) Dam
    Hoover Dam dedicated. It began operating on the Colorado river in 1936, producing 130,000 kilowatts of electricity.

  • Wind Energy Mark

    Wind Energy Mark
    Day and month N/A. Wind generated energy reaches 2,000 megawatt mark.

  • Greek Hydropower (BC)

    Greek Hydropower (BC)
    The greeks first used hydropower to turn wheels for grinding grains.