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Introduction of the Newcomen steam engine
Invented by James Watt, this was the birth of the "modern" steam engine. -
First Natural Gas Well is drilled
In 1821, William Hart drilled the first natural gas well in New York -
Abraham Lincoln enacts an ethanol tax
In 1862, Lincoln enacted an ethanol tax to help fund the Civil War, and it hampered the ethanol fuel industry. -
John D. Rockefeller develops pertroleum as a major energy source
JD Rockefeller forms Standard Oil Company of Ohio and makes pertroleum a main power souce in the U.S. -
Thomas Edison builds the first electric plant
On September 4th, 1882, Thomas Edison built the first electric plant in New York -
First Hydroelectric Plant starts in Wisconsin
The first commercial scale hydroelectric plants goes into operation in Appleton, Wisconsin on September 30th, 1882. -
First Windmill to generate electricity
The first windmill to generate electricity is developed in Cleveland, Ohio -
Hoover Dam is built
Hoover Dam, the largest hydroelectric plant in the world at its time, is built on the Colorado River -
First commercial nuclear power plant
The first commercial nuclear power plant beings operation in Shippingport, Pennsylvania -
Ivanpah goes online
Ivanpah, the world's largest concentrated solar power generation plant, goes online in California