historical energy events

Ben

Jan 1, 1752

Nature of Electricity
1 Jan 1752 Ben Franklin tied a key onto a kite during a storm and proved that static electricity and lightning were the same. His correct understanding of the nature of electricity paved the way for the future.

luigi

Jan 1, 1791

Bioelectricity
1 Jan 1791 Luigi Galvani discovered bioelectricity. Showed that nerve cells passing signals to muscles is a form of electricity.

volta

Jan 1, 1800

First Battery
1 Jan 1800 Alessandro Volta created the first battery, as the result of a professional disagreement with his colleague Galvani. Consisted of two electrodes, one made of zinc and the other copper.

street lights

May 1, 1816

Maryland Street Lights
1 May 1816 In Baltimore, Maryland, street lights are lit using gas made from coal. It becomes the first city in the country to do so. A month later, Rembrandt Peale is given permission to lay gas lines for street lights in the rest of the city.

daven

Jan 1, 1837

Electric Motor
1 Jan 1837 Thomas Davenport invented the electric motor, an invention that is used in most electrical appliances today

Grove

Jan 1, 1839

Fuel Cell
1 Jan 1839 Sir William Robert Grove developed the first fuel cell, a device that produces electrical energy by combining hydrogen and oxygen.

edison

Oct 22, 1879

Thomas Edison Invents the Lightbulb
22 Oct 1879 Thomas Edison created the first successful lightbulb. He used a carbon filament. His first successful test lasted 40 hours.

Bell

Jan 1, 1880

Alexander Graham Bell
1 Jan 1880 He created the Photophone, which allowed for transmissions of sound and conversion of a beam of light. World's first wireless telephone.

general motors

Jan 1, 1990

1st Mass-Produced Electric Car
1 Jan 1990 General Motors released the first mass produced electric car. As a result, the California Air Resources Board mandated that in order for the top seven car companies to continue selling in California they must produce emission-free cars. This came at a time when California's air quality was the worst in the nation

reasearchers

Jun 29, 1995

1st Solar Cells
29 Jun 1955 Researchers invented first solar cells capable of harnessing the sun's energy. The cells could convert sunlight directly into electricity. The technology was first used in space to power satellites.