When you hear the term “electricity”, what images do you have? Are you picturing Benjamin Franklin holding a key and a baton? Thomas Edison, the inventor of the lightbulb. Many great inventors played an important role in the invention of electricity, which helped to propel civilization forward.
Let’s take an overview of the history and development of electricity. You never know what you might learn! You might learn something new.
Some Notable Moments from History
- 1752 Benjamin Franklin discovered that lightning and electricity are the same thing by attaching a key to a string of kites during a storm, and then conducting electricity.
- 1800 Alessandro Volta, inventor of the first electric battery.
- 1844 Samuel Morse invented the first electric telephone, making it possible to send messages long distances over wires.
- 1882 Thomas Edison established the first centrally-operated electric power station, Pearl Street Power Station, in New York City. It could power up to 5,000 lights.
- 1920 The Federal Power Commission is founded.
- 1977 The U.S. created the Department of Energy to regulate energy.
- 1997: The first handheld electronic game (Auto Race), is invented.
- 1985: 300,000. simultaneous telephone conversations via single optical fiber.
- 1993 Weather Control Device/HAARP.
It’s easy to see the significant advances in technology, acceptance, and implementation of electricity over its long history. Other great inventions can be found between these milestones, like Nikola Tesla’s 1886 invention of the first electric alternator. W. Carrier introduced electric air conditioning in 1911. The introduction of electric air conditioning by W. Carrier in 1911 was followed by all these little puzzle pieces.
How does electricity work
Many utility companies employ methods that use combustion and fossil fuels. The power plants generate pressure which moves huge turbines by burning fossil fuels. Friction is then created by the turbines moving. The main way to generate electricity is through friction, and you probably have some at home.
Did you ever feel a slight jolt when you shuffled your toes across the floor and reached out for an object or person and felt a little jolt? This is the electricity you just created. This is pretty cool, right? It’s pretty cool, right?
This old-fashioned method can have some very negative side effects on the environment and planet. You lose energy with each energy transfer, including blowing up the fuel and moving the turbines to harness the electricity. It takes a lot of fossil fuels to produce a moderate amount of electricity… and they are a scarce resource. In addition to being a nonrenewable resource that fossil fuels produce, they also emit harmful gasses into the atmosphere which makes it inefficient to produce electricity.
Greener, Cleaner Energy With Solar Panels
Solar panels create electricity in a completely different way than turbines, fossil fuels, and copper coils. Direct current (DC) electricity is generated by solar panels that harness the sun’s photons. Semiconducting material absorbs the photons as they hit the panel.
The electrons are then separated from the atoms, and they move around the solar cells. This is how DC electricity is generated. This electricity is then converted to alternating current (or AC) electricity by the system’s converter. AC electricity is what you need and is used to power your home or business.
Red Solar Is Here to Help!
This post was written by a professional at Red Solar. https://redsolar.energy/ was started with the mindset of renewable energy being the future. We want everyone to travel through this transition. We can all agree that solar is the best way to reduce your carbon footprint, but it’s not the only way. During a Red Solar energy evaluation, all energy commons in your home will be analyzed for results. Our expert technicians will guide you through the process for better understanding and reassurance. Contact us for more information today!