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Nature of Electricity
Ben franklin tied a key onto a kite during a storm and proved that static electricity and lightening were the same. -
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Energy use
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First natural gas well drilled in US
Wiliam Hart dug the first natural gas well in the US. After noticing gas bubbles rising to the surface of a creek, Hart dug a 27 foot well to try and obtain a larger flow of gas to the surface. -
First Hydrogen Fuel Cell Developed to Generate Electricity
William Robert Grove development an improved wet cell battery. It was called the "Grove cell" It used a platinum electrode immersed in nitric acid and a zinc electrode in zinc sulfate to generate about 12 amps of current at about 1.8 volts. -
First Electric Plant Built by Thomas Edison in New York
In New York Thomas Edison built the first commercial electric utility near wallstreet. -
The "Free Alcohol Bill" Is Signed
Theodore Roosevelt signed the Free Alcohol Bill. This bill was signed to promote the use of alcohol as an alternative to gasoline. -
US Congress Passes Atomic Energy Act of 1954
In 1954, Congress passed new legislation that for the first time permitted the wide use of atomic energy for peaceful purposes. -
President Carter Delivers Famous Energy Speech Arguing for Conservation and Alternative Fuels
President Jimmy Carter made a famous speech on energy, detailing how the US is facing an imminent energy shortage and arguing that the country must make profound changes in the way it uses energy. -
Largest oil spill in the US waters
On this day the Exxon Valdez struck Bligh Reef in Prince William Sound. The grounding ripped the bottom of the single-hulled vessel, resulting in the rupture of 11 of the vessel’s crude oil tanks and the release of nearly 11 million gallons of crude oil into the environment. -
Worst Coal Ash Spill in US History in Kingston, Tennessee
The breach released 1.3 million cubic meters of fly ash (a coal) combustion waste product captured and stored in wet form. The spill infiltrated the Emory River, buried some 120 hectares (300 acres) in sludge, and even knocked a nearby home completely off its foundation. -
US Invests $3.4 Billion to Modernize Energy Grid
President Barack Obama announced the largest single energy grid modernization investment in U.S. history, funding a broad range of technologies that will spur the nation’s transition to a smarter, stronger, more efficient and reliable electric system.
