Category: Renewable Energy

The first energy source was the sun, providing both heat and light. A lightning strike later started a fire. Fire was then used for a variety of purposes as an additional source of heat and light. They used fire in cooking too.  

Humans discovered they could use sails to harness wind energy for transportation over 8,000 years ago. Later, it used wind energy to power the first wind farm, which consisted of windmills turning water wheels to grind grain. 

Prior to 1850, wood-fueled fires were the primary source of heating, cooking, and producing steam for railroad engines. Water, wind, coal, and manufactured natural gas were also used at the time.  

Surprisingly, the Chinese used natural gas as early as 500 BC. Bamboo was used for piping.  The gas was discovered leaking from the ground for use in boiling seawater to remove the salt. That’s right, the world’s first natural gas pipeline! 

Engineers in ancient Rome created a heating system known as a hypocaust around the same time. When they built houses, they added open space beneath the floor, so fire could pass hot air through and heat the room above. Romans used this process to warm rooms and heat baths. And it became a common addition to new construction in the region.  

In 1816, streetlights in Baltimore, Maryland were powered by manufactured natural gas made from coal. Coal was the primary fuel source from 1850 to 1945 due to the Industrial Revolution. Heat was provided by wood, and lighting was provided by natural gas. With the rise of coal, the use of water and wind energy decreased. 

As electricity became more common in the late 1900s, oil and natural gas became the primary fuel sources at that time. Coal-fired power plants also became regular then. Nuclear, solar, water, and wind have played a more prominent role in energy production since 1945. Furthermore, alternative energy sources such as geothermal and biomass are becoming more popular, with technological advancements improving viability.