Difference between revisions of "Timeline of electricity adoption"

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(Created page with "This is a '''timeline of electricity adoption'''. ==Big picture== {| class="wikitable" ! Time period !! Development summary !! More details |- |} ==Full timeline== {| clas...")
 
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{| class="sortable wikitable"
 
{| class="sortable wikitable"
 
! Year !! Month and date !! Event type !! Details !! Location
 
! Year !! Month and date !! Event type !! Details !! Location
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| 1800 || || || [[wikipedia:Alessandro Volta|Alessandro Volta]] develops the first battery.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lafavre.us/brush/lamparc.htm |title=Brush's Arc Lamp |author=Jeffrey La Favre |year=1998 |accessdate=May 18, 2017}}</ref>
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|-
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| 1802–1809 || || || Sometime during this period, [[wikipedia:Humphry Davy|Humphry Davy]] [[wikipedia:Arc lamp#History|first demonstrates the arc lamp]].
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1816 || || || The [[wikipedia:Electrical telegraph#First working systems|first working electrical telegraph]] is built by [[wikipedia:Francis Ronalds|Francis Ronalds]].
 
| 1816 || || || The [[wikipedia:Electrical telegraph#First working systems|first working electrical telegraph]] is built by [[wikipedia:Francis Ronalds|Francis Ronalds]].
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|-
 
|-
 
| 1847 || {{dts|October 12}} || || [[wikipedia:Siemens|Siemens]] is founded.
 
| 1847 || {{dts|October 12}} || || [[wikipedia:Siemens|Siemens]] is founded.
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|-
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| 1878 || {{dts|November 15}} || || The Edison Electric Light Company is incorporated in New York. The company provides "financial support for Edison's electric light experiments in return for control of the resulting patents".<ref name="edisons_companies" />
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1878 || {{dts|December 18}} || || Joseph Swan demonstrates that "a carbon filament in an evacuated glass globe would glow when an electric current was passed through it". This allows for electric lighting that is not excessively bright.<ref name="hannah" />{{rp|4}}
 
| 1878 || {{dts|December 18}} || || Joseph Swan demonstrates that "a carbon filament in an evacuated glass globe would glow when an electric current was passed through it". This allows for electric lighting that is not excessively bright.<ref name="hannah" />{{rp|4}}
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1879 || {{dts|June 28}} || || [[wikipedia:AC motor#History|Walter Baily demonstrates]] an AC motor to the [[wikipedia:Physical Society of London|Physical Society of London]].
 
| 1879 || {{dts|June 28}} || || [[wikipedia:AC motor#History|Walter Baily demonstrates]] an AC motor to the [[wikipedia:Physical Society of London|Physical Society of London]].
 +
|-
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| 1879 || {{dts|November 1}} || || Thomas Edison's carbon-filament incandescent lamp is patented.<ref name="edison_lamp">{{cite web |url=http://ethw.org/Edison%27s_Incandescent_Lamp |title=Edison's Incandescent Lamp |website=Engineering and Technology History Wiki |accessdate=May 17, 2017}}</ref>
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|-
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| 1880 || || || [[wikipedia:Joseph Swan|Joseph Swan]] obtains a British patent for his incandescent light bulb.<ref name="edison_lamp" />
 +
|-
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| 1880 || {{dts|December 17}} || || The Edison Electric Illuminating Company of New York is organized.<ref name="edisons_companies"/>
 +
|-
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| 1880 || {{dts|December 23}} || || The Edison Electric Light Company of Europe, Ltd. is incorporated to control Edison's electric light patents in Europe (except the United Kingdom).<ref name="edisons_companies" />
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1880–1883 || || || The [[wikipedia:History of trams#Electric trams|first electric trams begin operating]] in Russia (1880), Germany (1881), Britain (1883), and Austria (1883).
 
| 1880–1883 || || || The [[wikipedia:History of trams#Electric trams|first electric trams begin operating]] in Russia (1880), Germany (1881), Britain (1883), and Austria (1883).
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| 1881 || {{dts|September}} || || [[wikipedia:Godalming|Godalming]] becomes the [[wikipedia:Godalming#Public electricity supply|first town in the world with a public electricity supply]]. The central station here is water-powered.<ref name="hannah" />
 
| 1881 || {{dts|September}} || || [[wikipedia:Godalming|Godalming]] becomes the [[wikipedia:Godalming#Public electricity supply|first town in the world with a public electricity supply]]. The central station here is water-powered.<ref name="hannah" />
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1882 || || || The Electric Lighting Act of 1882 is passed. This act allows for the creation of a public electricity supply by breaking up (i.e. digging up and temporarily removing) streets in order to place pipes.<ref name="hannah" />{{rp|5}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EboDAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA73#v=onepage&q=break%20up&f=false |title=The Electric Lighting Act 1882 |first1=W. Cunningham |last1=Glen |first2=Alex |last2=Glen}}</ref> || United Kingdom
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| 1882 || {{dts|January 12}} || || [[wikipedia:Holborn Viaduct power station|Holborn Viaduct power station]] begins running. It is steam-powered.<ref name="hannah" />{{rp|7}} || United Kingdom (London)
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|-
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| 1882 || {{dts|March 15}} || || The Edison Electric Light Company, Ltd. is organized in London.<ref name="edisons_companies" /> || United Kingdom
 +
|-
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| 1882 || {{dts|August 18}} || || The Electric Lighting Act of 1882 is enacted. This act allows for the creation of a public electricity supply by breaking up (i.e. digging up and temporarily removing) streets in order to place pipes.<ref name="hannah" />{{rp|5}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EboDAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA73#v=onepage&q=break%20up&f=false |title=The Electric Lighting Act 1882 |first1=W. Cunningham |last1=Glen |first2=Alex |last2=Glen}}</ref> The act also provides a twenty-one-year limited tenure to private companies to supply electricity (after which the local government would be allowed to purchase the central station and distribution system).<ref name="hughes">{{cite web |author=Thomas Parke Hughes |title=Networks of Power: Electrification in Western Society, 1880–1930 |publisher=The Johns Hopkins University Press |year=1983}}</ref>{{rp|60}} || United Kingdom
 +
|-
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| 1882 || {{dts|September 4}} || || [[wikipedia:Pearl Street Station|Pearl Street Station]] begins generating electricity.<ref name="edisons_companies">{{cite web |url=http://edison.rutgers.edu/list.htm |title=Edison's Companies |website=The Edison Papers |publisher=Rutgers University |date=October 28, 2016 |accessdate=May 18, 2017}}</ref>
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|-
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| 1883 || || || The [[wikipedia:Thomson-Houston Electric Company|Thomson-Houston Electric Company]] is established.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://home.frognet.net/~ejcov/1884-1893.html |title=The Thomson-Houston Electric Incandescent Lamp, 1884-1893 |author=Edward J. Covington |accessdate=May 18, 2017 |quote=The Thomson-Houston Company had been formed in 1883 to produce dynamos and arc lighting; it succeeded the American Electric Company, which had been formed in the year 1880.}}</ref>
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1882 || {{dts|January 12}} || || [[wikipedia:Holborn Viaduct power station|Holborn Viaduct power station]] begins running. It is steam-powered.<ref name="hannah" />{{rp|7}} || United Kingdom (London)
+
| 1883 || {{dts|March 13}} || || The German Edison company, known as ''Deutsche Edison-Gesellschaft für angewandte Elektricität'' at the time, is founded by [[wikipedia:Emil Rathenau|Emil Rathenau]].<ref name="hughes" /> The company would later be renamed to [[wikipedia:AEG|AEG]].
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1882 || {{dts|September 4}} || || [[wikipedia:Pearl Street Station|Pearl Street Station]] begins generating electricity.
+
| 1883 || {{dts|October}} || || The English Edison Company and Swan Electric Light Company merge to form the Edison and Swan United Electric Light Company, Ltd.<ref name="hughes" />{{rp|62}}<ref name="edisons_companies" />
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1884 || || || The modern [[wikipedia:Steam turbine|steam turbine]] is invented by [[wikipedia:Charles Algernon Parsons|Charles Parsons]]. A production model would be installed in the Forth Banks power station in Newcastle in 1888.<ref name="hannah" />{{rp|13}}
 
| 1884 || || || The modern [[wikipedia:Steam turbine|steam turbine]] is invented by [[wikipedia:Charles Algernon Parsons|Charles Parsons]]. A production model would be installed in the Forth Banks power station in Newcastle in 1888.<ref name="hannah" />{{rp|13}}
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| 1886 || {{dts|January 8}} || || The [[wikipedia:Westinghouse Electric Corporation|Westinghouse Electric Corporation]] is founded as Westinghouse Electric Company.
 
| 1886 || {{dts|January 8}} || || The [[wikipedia:Westinghouse Electric Corporation|Westinghouse Electric Corporation]] is founded as Westinghouse Electric Company.
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1888 || || || The Electric Lighting Act of 1888 is passed. || United Kingdom
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| 1886 || {{dts|November 30}} || || The first commercial alternating current central station in the United States begins operating.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ethw.org/Early_Electrification_of_Buffalo#cite_ref-1 |title=Early Electrification of Buffalo |website=Engineering and Technology History Wiki |accessdate=May 18, 2017}}</ref> || United States (Buffalo, New York)
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|-
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| 1888 || {{dts|June 28}} || || The Electric Lighting Act of 1888 is enacted. This act amends the act from 1882 by extending the tenure for private companies from twenty-one to forty-two years.<ref name="hughes" />{{rp|64}} || United Kingdom
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 1889 || || || [[North Eastern Electric Supply Company|NESCo]] is founded by [[wikipedia:John Theodore Merz|John Theodore Merz]] as Newcastle upon Tyne Electric Supply Company.
+
| 1889 || || || [[wikipedia:North Eastern Electric Supply Company|NESCo]] is founded by [[wikipedia:John Theodore Merz|John Theodore Merz]] as Newcastle upon Tyne Electric Supply Company.
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1893 || || || The [[wikipedia:Toaster#History|first electric bread toaster is invented]] by [[wikipedia:Alan MacMasters|Alan MacMasters]]. || United Kingdom
 
| 1893 || || || The [[wikipedia:Toaster#History|first electric bread toaster is invented]] by [[wikipedia:Alan MacMasters|Alan MacMasters]]. || United Kingdom
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|-
 
|-
 
| 1936 || {{dts|May 20}} || || The [[wikipedia:Rural Electrification Act|Rural Electrification Act]] is enacted. || United States
 
| 1936 || {{dts|May 20}} || || The [[wikipedia:Rural Electrification Act|Rural Electrification Act]] is enacted. || United States
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|-
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| 1946 || || || Electricity production and distribution in France is nationalized.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ethw.org/w/images/c/c2/Beltran%2C_Competitiveness_and_Electricity.pdf |title=Competitiveness and Electricity: Electricité de France Since 1946 |first=Alain |last=Beltran}}</ref>{{rp|315}} || France
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1947 || || || The [[wikipedia:Microwave oven#Commercial availability|microwave oven becomes commercially available]].
 
| 1947 || || || The [[wikipedia:Microwave oven#Commercial availability|microwave oven becomes commercially available]].
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==External links==
 
==External links==
 +
 +
* [[wikipedia:Timeline of electrical and electronic engineering|Timeline of electrical and electronic engineering]]
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
  
 
{{Reflist|30em}}
 
{{Reflist|30em}}

Revision as of 13:29, 18 May 2017

This is a timeline of electricity adoption.

Big picture

Time period Development summary More details

Full timeline

Year Month and date Event type Details Location
1800 Alessandro Volta develops the first battery.[1]
1802–1809 Sometime during this period, Humphry Davy first demonstrates the arc lamp.
1816 The first working electrical telegraph is built by Francis Ronalds.
1831 Michael Faraday announces his discovery of electromagnetic induction.[2]:3
1847 October 12 Siemens is founded.
1878 November 15 The Edison Electric Light Company is incorporated in New York. The company provides "financial support for Edison's electric light experiments in return for control of the resulting patents".[3]
1878 December 18 Joseph Swan demonstrates that "a carbon filament in an evacuated glass globe would glow when an electric current was passed through it". This allows for electric lighting that is not excessively bright.[2]:4
1879 June 28 Walter Baily demonstrates an AC motor to the Physical Society of London.
1879 November 1 Thomas Edison's carbon-filament incandescent lamp is patented.[4]
1880 Joseph Swan obtains a British patent for his incandescent light bulb.[4]
1880 December 17 The Edison Electric Illuminating Company of New York is organized.[3]
1880 December 23 The Edison Electric Light Company of Europe, Ltd. is incorporated to control Edison's electric light patents in Europe (except the United Kingdom).[3]
1880–1883 The first electric trams begin operating in Russia (1880), Germany (1881), Britain (1883), and Austria (1883).
1881 September Godalming becomes the first town in the world with a public electricity supply. The central station here is water-powered.[2]
1882 January 12 Holborn Viaduct power station begins running. It is steam-powered.[2]:7 United Kingdom (London)
1882 March 15 The Edison Electric Light Company, Ltd. is organized in London.[3] United Kingdom
1882 August 18 The Electric Lighting Act of 1882 is enacted. This act allows for the creation of a public electricity supply by breaking up (i.e. digging up and temporarily removing) streets in order to place pipes.[2]:5[5] The act also provides a twenty-one-year limited tenure to private companies to supply electricity (after which the local government would be allowed to purchase the central station and distribution system).[6]:60 United Kingdom
1882 September 4 Pearl Street Station begins generating electricity.[3]
1883 The Thomson-Houston Electric Company is established.[7]
1883 March 13 The German Edison company, known as Deutsche Edison-Gesellschaft für angewandte Elektricität at the time, is founded by Emil Rathenau.[6] The company would later be renamed to AEG.
1883 October The English Edison Company and Swan Electric Light Company merge to form the Edison and Swan United Electric Light Company, Ltd.[6]:62[3]
1884 The modern steam turbine is invented by Charles Parsons. A production model would be installed in the Forth Banks power station in Newcastle in 1888.[2]:13
1886 January 8 The Westinghouse Electric Corporation is founded as Westinghouse Electric Company.
1886 November 30 The first commercial alternating current central station in the United States begins operating.[8] United States (Buffalo, New York)
1888 June 28 The Electric Lighting Act of 1888 is enacted. This act amends the act from 1882 by extending the tenure for private companies from twenty-one to forty-two years.[6]:64 United Kingdom
1889 NESCo is founded by John Theodore Merz as Newcastle upon Tyne Electric Supply Company.
1893 The first electric bread toaster is invented by Alan MacMasters. United Kingdom
1897 By this time, the United States has electrified almost 90% of its tramway mileage.[2]:15 United States
1902 The first modern electric air conditioning unit is invented. United States
1904 The first electric washing machines are created around this time.
1905 By this time, Britain has electrified almost 90% of its tramway mileage.[2]:15 United Kingdom
1906 The first patents for induction cooking date back to around this time. However, modern implementations would arrive only in the 1970s.
1907 The first portable electric vacuum cleaner is invented. United States
1910s–1920s The first electric dishwasher is produced around this time. Wikipedia shows a photo of one from "about 1917". Some other sources credit "the Walker brothers" in 1913.[9] By the mid-1920s, there are companies dedicated to manufacturing electric dishwashers.[10]
1914 The first practical electric refrigerator is created around this time.
1935 The Rural Electrification Administration is created as part of the New Deal. United States
1936 May 20 The Rural Electrification Act is enacted. United States
1946 Electricity production and distribution in France is nationalized.[11]:315 France
1947 The microwave oven becomes commercially available.
1948 April 1 In Britain, the Electricity Act 1947 nationalizes the electricity generation and supply industry. The act would be repealed in 1989 with the Electricity Act 1989. United Kingdom
1978 October Economy 7 is introduced in the United Kingdom. United Kingdom
2000 April California electricity crisis

Meta information on the timeline

How the timeline was built

What the timeline is still missing

Timeline update strategy

See also

External links

References

  1. ↑ Jeffrey La Favre (1998). "Brush's Arc Lamp". Retrieved May 18, 2017. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Hannah, Leslie (1979). Electricity Before Nationalisation: A Study of the Development of The Electricity Supply Industry in Britain to 1948. The Macmillan Press LTD. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 "Edison's Companies". The Edison Papers. Rutgers University. October 28, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2017. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Edison's Incandescent Lamp". Engineering and Technology History Wiki. Retrieved May 17, 2017. 
  5. ↑ Glen, W. Cunningham; Glen, Alex. "The Electric Lighting Act 1882". 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Thomas Parke Hughes (1983). "Networks of Power: Electrification in Western Society, 1880–1930". The Johns Hopkins University Press. 
  7. ↑ Edward J. Covington. "The Thomson-Houston Electric Incandescent Lamp, 1884-1893". Retrieved May 18, 2017. The Thomson-Houston Company had been formed in 1883 to produce dynamos and arc lighting; it succeeded the American Electric Company, which had been formed in the year 1880. 
  8. ↑ "Early Electrification of Buffalo". Engineering and Technology History Wiki. Retrieved May 18, 2017. 
  9. ↑ "A Visit to a 1930s Appliance Show". Retrieved May 16, 2017. In 1913 when the Walker Brothers hardware store was wired for electricity they produced thier first electric dishwasher. 
  10. ↑ "Early Electric Dishwasher". Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved May 16, 2017. 
  11. ↑ Beltran, Alain. "Competitiveness and Electricity: Electricité de France Since 1946" (PDF). 
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