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Steam Engine
In 1712 the first steam engine is developed to pump water out of coal mines. The machine was developed by Thomas Newcomen. It had an estimated 5.5 horsepower. It was made to raise water and it could raise 10 gallons of water with each pump. The water was being taken from coal mines. The picture shows a design for an early steam engine. -
US Commerical Coal Production Begins
Coal was found in 1701 by Huguenot settlers on the James River. By 1736, coal mines were appearing in the Maryland/ West Virginia area near the Patomic River. Coal was used for various products during the Revolutionary war. The picture shows coal after it has been extracted. -
First US Natural Gas Well
William Hart noticed gas bubbles going to the top of the creek. He made a 27 foot-well to try and get the gas. During most of the 19th- century natural gas was the main energy used. In this area, most gas was manufactured from coal. The picture depicts natural gas being used to light a lamp. -
Coal Becomes the Primary Fuel in the US
The first major use of coal began with the Tom Thumb locomotive. Coal replaced wood as the primary fuel in the United States. Many locomotives made the switch shortly after. The picture shows a Tom Thumb model. -
First Commercial Oil Well
Kerosene was discovered by Abraham Gesner, a Canadian chemist, in 1853. Edwin Drake began searching for petroleum and he found it on August 29. This began America's hunt for petroleum. The picture below depicts the first oil well which was in Titusville, Pennsylvania. -
First Solar Power System Developed
The French were worried about the use of fossil fuels; therefore, they wanted to fix the problem. Augustin Mouchot created a system that was powered by a sun motor. The sun motor used heat from the sunlight to produce steam which was used to drive machinery. The picture shows Mouchot's solar powered system. -
Standard Oil
John D. Rockefeller worked within the South Improvement Company for much of the 1860s. Rockefeller formed Standard Oil in 1870. By 1879, Standard Oil controlled 90 percent of the U.S. refining capacity. The picture below is a Standard Oil logo. -
First Electric Plant
In 1882, Thomas Edison built the first power plant. The plant was one mile and would serve wealthy clients such as; J.P. Morgan, the New York Stock Exchange, and the nation's largest newspapers. The image shows workers inside the plant. -
First Windmill that Generates Electricity
Charles Brush develops the world's first windmill that can generate electricity. The speed, at full speed, was 500 revolutions per minute and its normal capacity at full load was 1200 watts. The picture is Brush's first windmill. -
First Geothermal Power Plant
The first Geothermal power plant was drilled in California. It was drilled by John D. Grant and used the energy to power The Geysers resort. The picture shows the power plant.
