History of Energy By jamesc13 1748 The first commercial coal production began in Virginia 1750 Coal was reported in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Kentucky 1758 The first commercial coal shipment was recorded. 1800 Alessandro Volta created the first battery 1821 William Hart dug the first successful natural gas well 1859 Oil was discovered in America 1859 The first modern oil-well in Pennsylvania 1880 A network of oil pipelines was made 1881 Steam-turbine power plants and hydroelectric plants were made 1883 Nikola Tesla invented the Tesla Coil. 1888 Charles F. Brush used the first large windmill to generate electricity in Cleveland, Ohio 1893 the Austin Dam was the first Dam designed specifically to make hydro power. 1900 Hydroelectric dams increased in popularity 1940 Electrical lines were built throughout most of rural America 1945 Natural gas pipelines were built 1950 Nuclear fission was first used to generate electricity 1957 The first time a Nuclear Plant made power was in Santa Susana, California
