Virtual RoadShow Exhibit
Energy Timeline

Throughout history, various energy sources have made their debut at some very interesting times — some earlier than many would expect. Please click on the Century you are interested in to take a look at what was popular during that time period.

Pre-History
  • 800,000 years ago Fire was civilization's first great energy invention and it was used as a source of heat and light and for cooking
  • 10,000 BCE Native Americans used hot springs (geothermal energy) for cooking and refuge
  • 5,000 BCE Wind was the first source of energy used for transportation as the power source for sailing ships
  • 3,000 BCE Oil was used for building houses and ships and for medical purposes such as dressing wounds, liniments and as a laxative
  • 2,000 BCE Crude oil floating on ponds was used as fuel for lamps and as a source of heat
  • 900 BCE First windmills were developed for pumping water and grinding grain
  • 211 BCE The Chinese piped natural gas from shallow wells to heat sea water for salt
  • 79 AD Ancient civilizations piped water from hot springs (geothermal energy) into their homes as a source of heat
Energy in the Early Years (12th - 18th Centuries)
  • 1200 Coal is actively mined in Europe
  • 1300 American Indians burned coal to bake clay pots and cook and as a source of heat
  • 1748 Commercial production of coal begins in the U.S.
  • 1765 Steam engine powered by coal is perfected by James Watts
  • 1784 First flour mill in England run by a coal powered steam engine
  • 1790 Natural gas is used to illuminate most streets and houses in Europe
19th Century Discoveries
  • 1826 Samuel Morey develops an engine that runs on ethanol
  • 1830 First steam powered locomotive carries American passengers
  • 1853 Kerosene is extracted from petroleum
  • 1861 Ethanol is the primary source of illuminating oil in the U.S.
  • 1865 First major oil pipeline successfully completed
  • 1869 First oil tanker carries oil from the U.S. to Europe
  • 1882 Thomas Edison operates the first coal fired power station to supply electricity to homes in New York City
  • 1891 William Morrison builds the first successful electric automobile in the U.S.
  • 1890's Mass production of gasoline and diesel powered modes of transportation begins, creating a need for petroleum based fuels
  • 1897 Electric taxi cabs begin service in New York City
Early 20th Century Energy and Transportation
  • 1900 First offshore oil well drilled
  • 1900 Electric autos represent 1/3 of all cars on the road in Boston, Chicago and New York City and 28% of all U.S. cars
  • 1903 First geothermal electric power plant built in Italy
  • 1906 Ethanol becomes an alternative fuel for vehicles
  • 1908 Model T Ford runs on both ethanol and gasoline
  • 1920's Gasoline becomes the fuel of choice and gas stations open everywhere
  • 1900's Natural gas used as fuel for vehicles
  • 1941 First wind turbine used to generate electricity
Post WW II Energy Technology
  • 1948 First solar heated house is occupied in Dover, Massachusetts
  • 1950 Because of the popularity of automobiles, oil becomes the most used source of energy
  • 1950's The first photovoltaic (solar) cells are used to power satellites in space
  • 1960 Carter Oil (now CarterEnergy Corporation) is founded
  • 1966 GM Electrovan is the first hydrogen fuel cell car ever produced
  • 1980 First solar cell power plant begins providing electricity
  • 1986 The Guri Dam opens in Venezuela and uses hydroelectric power to produce 10,000 megawatts of electricity
  • 1990 General Motors launches one of the first electric cars, the Impact
  • 1993 Big Three U.S. automakers announce production of the natural gas powered car
  • 1999 First hybrid electric vehicle powered by both a rechargeable battery and gasoline becomes available to consumers
Energy in the 21st Century
  • 2001 Residential solar power systems first sold in home improvement stores
  • 2004 First North American hydrogen fueling station opens in Washington, D.C.
  • 2005 Demand for ethanol increases causing a boom in the sugar cane industry
  • 2007 Wind power produces enough electricity to power 2.5 million U.S. homes
  • 2008 Honda begins worldwide commercial production of the FCX Clarity, a hydrogen fuel cell powered car
  • 2009 6-10% of all U.S. electricity comes from hydropower
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