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Jan 1, 1350
Coal is first used in the United States.
The Hopi Native American tribe first uses coal in the US in the 1300s. European settlers wouldn't use coal until the 1700s. -
Fossil fuels are used commercially.
The US began to use fossil fuels hand in hand with coal. Fossil fuels helped get the Industrial Revolution up and running in the US. https://www.reference.com/science/first-fossil-fuel-discovered-d1bba6a18ef09b10 -
The US Wind Engine Company is established.
Daniel Halladay and John Burnham found the US Wind Engine Company. They design their wind engine for the Western part of the country to provide power to those new settlers there. https://energy.gov/eere/wind/history-us-wind-energy -
The Hoover Dam Opens
The Hoover Dam--the first dam in the US--opens on the border or Nevada and Arizona.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoover_Dam -
The first effective solar cell is invented.
Calvin Fuller, Gerald Pearson, and Daryl Chapin create a silicon solar powered energy device. It is only powerful to power small electronics, but the New York Times dubbed it "the beginning of a new era." https://www.experience.com/alumnus/article?channel_id=energy_utilities&source_page=additional_articles&article_id=article_1130427780670 -
The first atomic power plant opens.
The first atomic power plant opens in the US. It is called the Shippingport Atomic Power Station and is located in Shippingport, PA.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shippingport_Atomic_Power_Station -
The first halogen lightbulb using iodine gas is patented.
General Electric patents the halogen lightbulb that uses the halogen gas iodine to create light. http://www.historyoflighting.net/light-bulb-history/history-of-halogen-lamps/ -
The Environmental Protection Agency is founded.
President Richard Nixon founds the Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA. It provides standards to clean pollution and reduce pollution by using clean energy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Environmental_Protection_Agency#Hazardous_waste -
The Department of Energy is founded.
President Jimmy Carter founds the Department of Energy following an oil crisis. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Energy -
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 passes under President Barack Obama. It incentivizes renewable energy by providing tax cuts.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Recovery_and_Reinvestment_Act_of_2009
