Thomas Edison developed a commercially viable system for distributing electricity using direct current in 1878 in the USA. In 1882, he opened the world's first steam-powered electricity generating station in London. The era of large-scale electric power distribution began in 1895 when water from Niagara Falls was used to power generators producing electricity at 2,200 volts, which was then used locally for aluminum manufacturing. The Second Industrial Revolution saw electricity replace steam as the main power source for industry.

2. In 1878, in the USA, Thomas Edison developed and sold a commercially viable replacement
for gas lighting and heating using locally generated and distributed direct current electricity.
In early 1882, Edison opened the world’s first steam-powered electricity generating station
in London.
The era of large-scale electric power distribution arguably began on August 26, 1895, when
water flowing over Niagara Falls was diverted through a pair of high-speed turbines that
were coupled to two 5,000-horsepower generators. The bulk of the electricity produced at
about 2200 volts and used locally for the manufacture of aluminum.

3. The First Industrial Revolution saw steam-powered machines replace human labor in
industry. The Second Industrial Revolution saw electricity replace steam as the main power
source in industry.
Electric power is properly considered as a key element of the so-called "Second Industrial
Revolution" of the last quarter or so of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. This
revolution, together with the transformation of the chemical industry and the internal
combustion engine, redefined the whole set of technological opportunities available to
industrializing societies. The electrical and chemical industries shared the important feature
that their development was heavily dependent upon scientific progress in the 19th century.
Electric generators were crucial.
A number of scientific developments were made during the Second Industrial Revolution.
Scientists searched for other energy sources to use instead of steam.
In 1860, the first internal combustion engine was built by Belgian engineer J. Lenoi. Gas
was used as fuel.
Around this time, electricity was applied to trams. Trams had been built to move people
around cities. The first trams were horse and steam drawn. In 1863, electricity was applied
to the underground railway systems in Britain. By the end of the century, the majority of
trains in Britain were run on electricity.
In 1891, the engine was moved to the front of the vehicle to distribute weight more
efficiently. In 1895, E and A Michelin developed the first air tyres. By 1908, Henry Ford from
the United States planned to mass produce the car on a production line. The modern
manufacturing and car industries were born.
The Second Industrial Revolution brought advances in new energy sources, communication
and transport. In each of these developments, electricity played a major role.

8. Three Gorges, currently the largest hydroelectric power station, and the largest power
producing body ever built, at 22,500 MW, more than twice the installed capacity of the
largest nuclear power station.
Taichung - Taiwan, the largest coal-fired power station, at 5,500 MW.
Surgut-2 - Russia, the largest natural gas power station at 5,600 MW.
Kachiwazaki- Kariwa - Japan, the largest nuclear power station at
8,212 MW (not currently operating)
Esti Power Station - Estonia, the largest oil shale-fired power station
at 1,615 MW.
Shoaiba power – Saudi Arabia with a total capacity of 5,600 MW,
which makes it the largest fossil fuel-fired power stations in the world.
Shatura - Russia, largest peat-fired power station at 1,500 MW.
Tilbury B Power Station - GB, since 2011 the largest bio fuel power station at 750 MW.
Hellisheidi Power Station - Iceland, the largest geothermal power station at 303 MW.
Sihwa Lake – South Korea, the largest tidal power station at 254 MW.
Topaz – USA is the largest PV power stations at 300 MW.
Aguçadoura – Portugal, the largest wave farm at 2.25 MW.
Alta - USA, the largest wind farm at 1200 MW.
London Array Wind Farm, the largest offshore wind farm at 630 MW.

9. Opened in 1966 as the world's first tidal power station, it is
currently operated by Électricité de France and was for 45 years
the largest tidal power station in the world by installed capacity
until the South Korean Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Station
surpassed it in 2011.
The earliest known record of the direct
conversion of solar radiation into
mechanical power belongs to Auguste
Mouchout, a mathematics instructor
at the Lyce de Tours. Mouchout began
his solar work in 1860 after expressing
grave concerns about his country's
dependence on coal. By the following
year he was granted the first patent
for a motor running on solar power
and continued to improve his design
until about 1880. During this period
the inventor laid the foundation for
our modern understanding of
converting solar radiation into
mechanical steam power.

10. 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. In Denmark wind power was an important
part of a decentralized electrification in the first quarter of the
20th century. In 1941 the world's first megawatt-size wind
turbine was connected to the local electrical distribution
system on the mountain known as Grandpa's Knob in the USA.
In the 20th century, demand for
electricity led to the consideration of
geothermal power as a generating
source. Prince Piero Ginori Conti tested
the first geothermal power generator
on 4 July 1904 in Larderello, Italy. It
successfully lit four lightbulbs. Later, in
1911, the world's first commercial
geothermal power plant was built there
and Italy was the world's only industrial
producer of geothermal electricity until
1958.
In 1958, New Zealand became the
second major industrial producer of
geothermal electricity.

15. Around the world, there are about 62,500 power
plants operating today. That includes everything
from coal-fired plants to hydroelectric dams to
wind farms.

16. In 2011, more than 440 nuclear power plants in 30 countries across the globe were busy
supplying 14 percent of the world's current electricity needs. Nuclear power certainly has
its pros and cons, but no one can deny its importance.

17. Enough sunlight reaches the earth’s surface each minute to satisfy the world’s
energy demands—for an entire year.
The United States produces half of its electricity from coal. China uses coal to
generate more than three-fourths of its electricity. Australia, Poland, and
South Africa produce an even greater percentage. Overall, coal makes up 2/5
of the world’s electricity generation.
In the average home, 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed
while the products are turned off. The average desktop computer idles at 80 watts, while
the average laptop idles at 20 watts. A Sony PlayStation 3 uses about 200 watts and nearly
as much when idle. Idle power consumes more electricity than all the solar panels in
America combined
China has taken over the U.S. as both the world’s largest CO2 emitter and the world’s
largest energy consumer.
83% of the world’s air pollution comes from the production and use of electricity.
Refrigerators account for 7% of the nation’s total energy use.
The amount of energy produced by the sun in a 2 week period equals the combined stored
energy of all the coal, iron, and natural gas reserves known to man.