Energy Timeline

  • First Discovery of Static Electricity

    First Discovery of Static Electricity
    William Gilbert discovers static electricity, coining the term electricity.
  • Period: to

    History of Electricity

  • Ben Franklin

    Ben Franklin
    Benjanim Franklin performed his famous kite experiment. He discovered that lightning is electric in nature.
  • Bioelectricity

    Bioelectricity
    Galvani discovers bioelectricity.
  • The battery

    The battery
    Alessandro Volta invents the first battery, a "pile" of electrochemical cells in series
  • The Electric Motor

    The Electric Motor
    Michael Faraday builds the first electric motor
  • The Dynamo

    The Dynamo
    Ányos Jedlik invents the principle of the self exciting dynamo
  • The Incandescent Lightbulb

    The Incandescent Lightbulb
    Joseph Swan succesfully demonstrates his design for the incandescent lightbulb.
  • First Commerical Electricity Utility

    First Commerical Electricity Utility
    Thomas Edison established the first investor-owned electric utility in 1882 on Pearl Street Station, New York City.
  • Electric Transformer

    Electric Transformer
    Ottó Bláthy, Miksa Déri and Károly Zipernowsky co-invent the electric transformer.
  • AC Power

    AC Power
    Nikola Tesla patents his design for an alternating current electrical system.