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Water Wheel
Europeans develop river wheels to use water as an energy source. -
Franklin's Shocking Discovery
Ben Franklin discovers that lightning is electricity using a kite and a key in a storm. The discovery prompts future interest in energy and electric development. -
Oil Well
Edwin Drake drilled the first oil well in America in Titusville, PA. He used a method of drilling oil with iron poping that caused the "black gold rush." -
Solar Energy Generator Created
Auguste Mouchout invents the first solar energy generator by using a mirror that focuses the sunlight beams to develop energy. -
Tesla invents the Alternative Current
Nikola Tesla constructed a brushless alternating current induction motor with a rotating magnetic field. The AC motor became a standardized method of elecrical conduction across the world in the 19th and 20th centuries. -
Model T Released
The Model T was released by Henry Ford; the first consumer-driven vehicle that ran on ethanol or gasoline. The development of the Model T drove up demands for fuels and opened the door to future vehicular efficiency. -
Nuclear Power plants
In Obnisk, USSR, the first Nuclear Power Plant was built. The plant used uranium as its fuel and marked the beginning of a transition to nuclear power; soon later Shippingport, PA built another nuclear power plant. Now 20% of the US electricity comes from nuclear sources. -
Arab Oil
In the early 1970's, US oil production is curbed by the increased dependence on forign oil. Saudi Arabia makes use of their extremely large oil holds and Arab countries establish an embargo. The US gas prices increase as a result. -
Negative Effects of Fossil Fuels
In the early 1980's, a series of studies were published that pointed to fossil fuel burning as having negative effects on the environment and causing apoctalypic global climate change. Especially in cause of the industrial revolution, the emissions of pollution and sideeffects of fossil fuel caused outrage. -
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster
The Nuclear disaster showed a serious failure in the nuclear power ideal after radioactive materials were released because of equipment failure and nuclear meltdowns. A full meltdown occured because of overheating of the reactors. The radioactivity released around the area caused major problems for the Japanese people and government and raised concerns for global nuclear reactor dependency.
