The document outlines the historical conflict between Thomas Edison, who advocated for Direct Current (DC), and Nikola Tesla alongside George Westinghouse, who promoted Alternating Current (AC) due to its advantages in long-distance transmission. Although AC became the dominant power system and was widely adopted by various electrical grids, there is a growing recognition that DC, particularly in the context of modern technology and renewable energy sources like solar power, may offer greater efficiency and sustainability. The text suggests that emerging economies may benefit from implementing DC systems, potentially impacting global trade.

1. TESLA V EDISON: WAR OF
THE ELECTRICAL CURRENTS
ALTERNATING CURRENT V DIRECT CURRENT

2. THOMAS EDISON IS A PROPONENT OF
DIRECT CURRENT
When Edison perfected the light bulb he also figured to make a
lot of money building DC generating plants to power the lights
that he hoped would be in everyone’s homes
(King,2011)

3. PROBLEMS WITH DC POWER
It was difficult to transmit DC electricity over long distances
DC power plants would have to be built every few miles
Self-contained generators installed in homes were too loud
(King, 2011)

4. ALTERNATING CURRENT IS SEEN AS A
SOLUTION
Promoted by Nicolai Tesla and George Westinghouse
By using a transformer to step down the current and increase the
voltage, AC electricity could be sent hundreds of miles through
very large power lines
(King,2011)

5. EDISON TRIES TO DISCREDIT AC POWER BY
SHOWING IT’S DANGERS
He secretly paid to have AC current used in an electric chair to
put convicted criminals to death
The first person put to death in an electric chair was named
William Kemmler
(King,2011)

6. HE ALSO HAD AN ELEPHANT EXECUTED
WITH AC POWER
(King, 2011)

7. WESTINGHOUSE WAS AWARDED THE
CONTRACT TO LIGHT THE ENTIRE 1893
WORLDS FAIR
Once people saw the sea of lights at the worlds fair most
electrical grids were set up to use AC Power
(King, 2011)

8. HOWEVER NYC USED DC POWER SINCE IT
WAS HEAVILY INVESTED IN EDISON’S
POWER PLANTS
In 1927 New York city decided to start removing its DC facilities and
replace them with AC facilities.
This process was complete in 2007 (Tesla,2017)
There are still items in NY that use DC power:
1) Subway system
2) elevators on the lower east side
--They have their own rectifiers to convert AC power into DC
electricity
(Lee, 2014)

9. THE IRONY IS THAT MODERN SOCIETY
MIGHT BE BETTER SERVED BY USING DC
POWER
How is that possible?
1) Rectifiers are used so DC power can be sent over long
distances even better and more efficiently than AC power
2) Solar power creates DC power and as we use more solar this
is more efficient
3) A lot of our modern devices use DC power
(Tesla)

10. WHAT DEVICES USE DC POWER?
Computers
Cell phones
Televisions
LED lightbulbs
Cable boxes
Wireless routers
Anything that uses a rechargeable battery
(Tesla)

11. HAVE YOU EVER WONDERED WHY YOUR
PHONE AND COMPUTER HAVE THESE WEIRD
BOXES?
Those boxes (arrows) are
rectifiers that convert AC power
from the outlet into DC power that
the cell phones and computers can
use (Tesla)

12. YOU MAY ALSO NOTICE THAT EACH OF THOSE
BOXES GET VERY WARM WHEN YOU ARE USING
THEM
The heat created is wasted electricity
Just think how much energy we could save if the whole nation used DC power
(Tesla)

13. SO WHY DON’T WE CONVERT TO DC
POWER?
AC systems are everywhere and replacing them would cost a lot
of money
(Tesla)

14. HOWEVER, EMERGING ECONOMIES ARE
BUILDING DC POWER PLANTS
This could have the effect of being able to produce goods
cheaper than the US because they would have lower energy costs
This could definitely have an impact on world trade in the future
(Tesla)

15. TO SUM UP:
Using alternating current (AC) might have been necessary in the
early 1900s but using direct current (DC) might be the future.
Tesla may have won the battle by getting AC to be the dominate
method of electrical production in the beginning of the 20th
century
But , Edison may have won the war since DC electricity is making
a comeback
(Tesla)

16. WORKS CITED:
• King, Gilbert. "Edison vs. Westinghouse: A Shocking
Rivalry." Smithsonian.com. Smithsonian Institution, n.d. Web.
07 Feb. 2017.
• Lee, Jennifer8. "Off Goes the Power Current Started by Thomas
Edison." City Room. New York Times, 14 Nov. 2007. Web. 7
Feb. 2017.
• "Tesla vs Edison: The War of Currents." Tesla vs Edison: The
War of Currents. N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Feb. 2017.