Timeline of Historical Energy Events By kristinweiss Jan 31, 1712 First Steam Engine Developed in England to Pump Water out of Coal Mines Jan 31, 1821 First Natural Gas Well drilled in the US Jan 31, 1850 Windmills become popular use of pumping water for Western Homesteaders and Railroaders Jan 31, 1870 John D. Rockefeller forms standard oil and develops petroleum as a major energy source in the US Jan 31, 1888 First Windmill created to generate electricity in Cleveland, Ohio Jan 31, 1900 First Diesel Engine to run on vegetable oil at the World’s Fair in Paris Jan 31, 1924 First Federal Law established to control pollution from the oil industry Jan 31, 1935 World’s Largest hydroelectric power plant is built, Hoover Dam Dec 20, 1950 First nuclear power reactor is built to generate electricity Jan 31, 1960 First commercial scale geothermal plants are built in California Dec 31, 1980 First Wind farm is built in New Hampshire Nov 9, 2005 Prevention of drilling for oil in arctic wildlife range is passed in US House Oct 27, 2009 $3.4 million is invested by the US to modernize energy grid Mar 27, 2012 EPA Announces first clean air act standard for carbon pollution from new power plants
