Timeline: Energy use in the US

1870

John D. Rockefeller Forms Standard Oil

John D. Rockefeller develops petroleum as a major energy source in the US.

Sep 30, 1882

First Commercial Scale Hydroelectric Plant Goes into Operation in Appleton, Wisconsin

The plant was initiated by Appleton paper manufacturer H.J. Rogers, who had been inspired by Thomas Edison's plans for an electricity-producing station in New York.

1921

World's First Geothermal Power Plant Is Built in California

John D. Grant drills a well at The Geysers with the intention of generating electricity. This effort is unsuccessful, but one year later Grant meets with success across the valley at another site, and the United States' first geothermal power plant goes into operation. Grant uses steam from the first well to build a second well, and, several wells later, the operation is producing 250 kilowatts.

1935

Hoover Dam, the World's Largest Hydroelectric Power Plant, Is Built

The dam is located near Boulder City, Nevada, a municipality originally constructed for workers on the construction project, about 30 mi (48 km) southeast of Las Vegas, Nevada. The dam's generators provide power for public and private utilities in Nevada, Arizona, and California. Hoover Dam is a major tourist attraction; nearly a million people tour the dam each year. The heavily traveled U.S. Route 93 (US 93) ran along the dam's crest until October 2010, when the Hoover Dam Bypass opened.

Dec 20, 1951

First Nuclear Power Reactor to Generate Electricity Built in Idaho

The facility, a National Historic Landmark where usable electricity was first generated from nuclear energy in 1951. This pioneering reactor operated for 12 years before being shut down for the last time in December 1963.

Dec 2, 1957

First Commercial Nuclear Power Plant Begins Operation in Shippingport, Pennsylvania

The world’s first full-scale atomic electric power plant devoted exclusively to peacetime uses. It was located near the present-day Beaver Valley Nuclear Generating Station on the Ohio River in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States, about 25 miles (40 km) from Pittsburgh.

1977

Formation of the Solar Energy Research Institute

Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) was formed to address the immediate issue of fossil fuels consumption that causing environmental pollution and global warming. Fossil fuels are limited in supply. Moreover, rapid depletion of these non-renewable resources has resulted in the increase of fossil fuel prices.

Mar 28, 1979

Three Mile Island Nuclear Accident in Pennsylvania Creates Widespread Public Opposition to Nuclear Power

A nuclear meltdown that occurred on March 28, 1979, in reactor number 2 of Three Mile Island Nuclear Generating Station (TMI-2) in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was the most significant accident in U.S. commercial nuclear power plant history.

1980

World's First Wind Farm Built in New Hampshire

Wind power in New Hampshire began in 1980, with the installation of the world's first wind farm at Crotched Mountain, consisting of 20 30 kW wind turbines, although it closed decades ago.

2008

First Commercial Cellulosic Ethanol Plant Goes Into Production in Wyoming

The first commercial cellulosic ethanol facility to convert waste wood materials into a renewable fuel went online near Upton, Wyoming. After 6 years of development, KL Process Design Group, in conjunction with the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, has produced a proprietary enzymatic method to break down wood and waste materials, such as cardboard and paper.

2017