Renewable energy can be loosely defined as the energy generated by natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable (naturally replenished). Once humans have used these natural resources, they are often replaced with other natural resources again. This article will aim to explore the timeline of renewable energy. Let us begin.
4000 BCE: The Waterwheels
The first recorded use of water wheels was around 4000 BC. They were used to grind grain into flour, among other things. The Romans later improved upon this design by using hinged paddles, which could pivot and therefore be more efficient than the rigid water wheel used by the Greeks. The Romans are also known for having used water wheels to power machinery in mining, quarrying, sawing timber, crushing ore, making pulp, and driving mills.
The 1590s: Windmills
It is commonly believed that the first windmills were invented by the Dutch who lived in Holland during this time period. The exact date of when they began using them is unknown, but records indicate that their use was well developed by the 1590s. These early windmills were typically used to mill grain or pump water for irrigation purposes. In the United States, they were used to generate electricity as early as 1887.
The 1860s: The First Solar Energy System
In 1860, a ‘thermo-photovoltaic cell’ was invented by French physicist Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel which would lead to the first photovoltaic cell produced by Charles Fritts. This allowed for a sizable amount of electricity to be generated from sunlight. Unfortunately, it took another 40 years before new technologies would make PV cells more efficient and less expensive. However, modern-day advancements have made them cheaper than ever before, and this technology is now being deployed by many companies worldwide, such as Solar City.
1876: Solar Cells being used in Energy Generation
William Grylls Adams and Richard Evans Day observed that when selenium was exposed to light, the electrical conductivity of the element increased. They were able to detect currents as small as a one-tenth millionth of an amp due to this discovery – which isn’t much, but it shows proof of concept. This rudimentary method of photovoltaic detection is what led scientists all over the world to come up with better ways of using PV cells for converting sunlight into electricity. The first good one appeared in 1954 at Bell Laboratories. By 1960, commercial solar panels were being used by the Soviet Union during space missions aboard their satellite Luna 9.
1887: Windmills, the 2nd Generation
Although they were initially used to pump water and grind farm tools like wheat or corn, these windmills eventually became a popular source of electricity generation during the 1930s. They could be made quite large and powerful, allowing for more electricity production than their predecessors – but their size would make them impractical in many cases. This pushed engineers to develop other modern-day turbines, such as crossflow turbines that can scale down to any size while also being much more efficient than the original design.
1905: The ‘Photoelectric Effect’ and Albert Einstein
Einstein won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his explanation of this phenomenon. As it is now known, the photoelectric effect was first observed by Alexandre Edmond Becquerel and Heinrich Hertz. It states that electrons are spontaneously emitted from atoms when they absorb energy from electromagnetic radiation such as sunlight. From this discovery, the development of solar cells would be pushed forward by leaps and bounds – with many modern-day photovoltaic companies being founded shortly after.
1927: Wind Turbines Used Commercially
This is when wind energy was first commercialized; thanks to Danish engineer Poul la Cour, who built a wind turbine capable of generating enough electricity for several homes. This success helped push others to create newer versions of these modern-day windmills, which are now used all over the world in the variety of massive wind farms that dot landscapes across most continents. A smaller form of these wind turbines can also be found on rooftops, where they are used for an electrical generation as well as water pumping. They have even been seen spinning at speeds high enough to generate power for commercial airliners like the Airbus A380 – which is not bad at all!
1935: Hoover Dam
The construction of this dam was the largest in history up to that point. It created a massive reservoir called Lake Mead and ushered in an era of hydroelectricity generation across America. These dams would soon become world-famous for their ability to electrify entire cities while also preventing flooding by simply redirecting excess water. The benefits of these sites are so obvious even today that many are currently being built around the world despite environmental concerns about their effects on river ecosystems. This has sparked debates about how best to harness rivers without disturbing nature at large, but it seems likely that these dams still be prevalent for years into the future.
Modern Solar Solutions
The modern world owes a great deal to the development of solar power throughout history. The first evidence of this goes back to around 3800 BC in ancient Egypt, where people used polished copper mirrors to concentrate sunlight onto flammable material like cloth or wood – causing it to ignite into flames. However, it was not until much later that solar energy truly came into its own as an important power source, which is why today, the modern world enjoys using it more than ever before.
Many of us are now familiar with at least some of the types of solar panels that exist, whether thin-film ones based on flexible plastic substrates or heavier silicon-based crystalline models. Thanks to their relative portability and affordability, these solar panels have made it possible for many people around the world to take advantage of this amazing power source and generate some or all of their own electricity. Soon, even those living in far-off locations like those found under dense canopies will be able to enjoy the benefits of a sun-powered life provided they have the resources to do so.
Before you close this page; our friends at Assignment Masters and Ninja Essays are running enticing promotions you’d love to see if you’re stuck with your history assignments or any other essay. With NinjaEssays writing service, you really don’t have to worry about quality, plagiarism or late delivery. They put in plenty of effort to ensure that all their clients are satisfied. Check the pages today before the offers expire.
