10 Key Historical Energy Events

Sun Powered Steam

Aug 11, 1860

Auguste Mouchout patented his invention which turnedd the suns energy into steam which could be used to drive a steam powered engine.

First windmill to generate elctricity

Jun 11, 1888

Charles F. Brush developed the worlds first windmill that produced electricity when rotated by the wind.

Worlds first geothermal power plant

Jun 11, 1921

John D. Grant drilled a geothermal well and ran a small direct circuit generator whichh was used to provide lighting for the geothermal plant. But due to the poor materials at the time and difficulty drilling wells the industry could not compete.

Hoover dam is built

Jun 11, 1935

Hoover dam was completed after four years of construction. Remained the worlds largest hydroelcectric dam until 1948

First controlled nuclear chain reaction

Dec 14, 1942

Scientist began to understand that the splitting of an unstable atom would create enormous amounts of energy. The successful harnessing of this enrgy paved the way for a new renwable resource.

First nuclear power plant

Dec 20, 1951

A nuclear reacore produced useful enrgy for the first time in Idaho. It was barley enough power to light a string of 4 light bulbs, but it was safe and successful.

First commercial Nuclear plant

Dec 2, 1957

First Nuclear plant to provide commercial enrgy was opened in shippingport , Pennsylvania

Commercial Geothermal Plant

Jun 11, 1960

First geothermal plant to provide commercial enrgy opemed in california

First large scale solar field

Jun 11, 1981

Solar one, a large scale oil field is built in daggett , California. It concentrated heat which ran a generator by boiling water.

Construction begins on the worlds largest wind farm

Jun 11, 2013

Construction begins on the worlds largest wind farm in Altamont pass in california. It contains 4,800 small wind turbines which produce 576 megawatts of enrgy.