-
Period: to
Time Span
-
First solar collector was built
Swiss scientis Horace de Saussure builds the first solar collector used to cook food -
Electrolysis process was discovered
English scientists William Nicholson and Sir Anthony Carlisle discovered that applying electric current to water produced hydrogen and oxygen gases. This process was later termed 'electrolysis'. -
Natural gas in street lamps
By 1802, cities in Europe were using natural gas to operate street lamps and to create electricity. -
Patent for solar thermal engine
Robert Stirling applies for a patent for his solar thermal engine -
Discovery of photovoltaic compounds
In the late 1830s, scientists discovered photovoltaic compounds, which release energy when exposed to light. This discovery eventually led to the development of solar cells and solar power. -
First hydrogen fuel cell
In 1839, William Robert Grove invented the first hydrogen fuel cell, which harnessed electricity from the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen. -
August constructed solar steam engines
French mathematician August Mouchet proposed an idea for solar-powered steam engines -
Experiments with solar energy
By 1873, concerns of running out of coal prompted experiments with using solar energy. -
First solar cell constructed using selenium
William Grylls Adams and Richard Evans Day proved that it is possible to convert solar energy into electricity directly, without any moving parts or heat. -
First windmill for electricity
The first windmill used for the production of electricity was built in Scotland in July 1887 by Prof James Blyth of Anderson's College, Glasgow (the precursor of Strathclyde University). -
First commercial solar water heater
Clarence Kemp patents the first commercial solar water heater -
Einstein and photoelectric effect
Einstein explains the photoelectric effect -
First modern solar collector
William Bailey invents a solar collector similar to the modern design -
Importance of renewable energy was recongnized
The importance of solar energy was recognized in a 1911 Scientific America article: "in the far distant future, natural fuels having been exhausted [solar power] will remain as the only means of existence of the human race". -
Discovery of the neutron
In 1932 James Chadwick discovered the neutron. -
First nuclear reactor
The first nuclear reactor project aimed at energy production was initiated in Brookhaven, New York in 1947. -
First solar cells for sale
The year is 1956, and the first solar cells are available commercially. -
Eight story parabolic solar furnace
France constructed eight story parabolic solar furnace -
Alternative substances
In the 1970s, President Jimmy Carter's administration advocated coal gasification as an alternative to expensive imported oil. -
Develpment of wind turbine
From 1974 through the mid-1980s, the U.S. government worked with industry to advance the technology and enable development and deployment of large commercial wind turbines. -
Solar panels to expensive till 1980
Solar had long been used for heating and cooling, but solar panels were too costly to build solar farms until 1980. -
First large photovoltaci station
First large scale photovoltaic power station comes online in Hisperia, California -
First distributed power photovoltaic installation
First distributed power photovoltaic installation to support the power grid -
Commerical skyscraper with solar power in New York
Commerical skyscraper in New York City includes building-integrated photovoltaics on the south and west facing facades -
First second-generation ethanol plat
As of July 2010, there is one commercial second-generation ethanol plant Inbicon Biomass Refinery, which is operating in Denmark. -
3D PV-cel with 30% more energy efficiency
2012 - 3D PV-cel with 30% more energy efficiency
