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Somewhere between 500,000 and 700,000 years ago, humans began burning wood and utilizing fire as a source of energy.
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Around 1600, Great Britain began using coal and other fossil fuels as an energy source.
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In the 1700s, James Watt perfected the steam engine, a forerunner for the Industrial Revolution.
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In 1821, the first Natural Gas well in the US is drilled
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In 1860, Jean Joseph Lenoir invented the first official internal combustion engine. This was the first machine that used oil to power itself.
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The first solar powered system to create steam is manufactured in France.
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First electric plant built by Thomas Edison.
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First geothermal energy facility constructed in Boise.
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In 1900, a vegetable oil based engine was demonstrated at the World Fair.
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In 1927, the first commercial wind turbines were used to generate electricity for farmers.
