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Commercial production of coal begins in the U.S. near Richmond, Virginia.
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Ben Franklin discovers that lightning is electricity. His investigations open the door for the development of electricity.
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Michael Farady creates the first electric motor.
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Edwin Drake first drills for oil in Titusville, PA and is successful.
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Thomas Edison starts the first coal-powered power station in New York City. It supplies electricity for lighting households.
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The first hydroelectric power station opens in Wisconsin, creating electricity from the energy of running water.
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Henry Ford introduces the first successful car, the Model T. It can run on gasoline or ethanol.
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The first liquefied natural gas plant opens in West Virginia.
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Researchers invent the first photovoltaic cells. These solar cells convert energy from the sun into electricity. They are first used by the space program to power satellites.
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The first commercial nuclear powerplant goes into service in Shippingport, PA.
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GM introduces “The Impact” – one of the first electric automobiles.
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Barack Obama becomes the 44th president of the United States. In his inaugural address, President Obama states that "each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet." The President pledges to "harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories."
