When you think of the history of electricity, you may picture Benjamin Franklin with a kite in 1752, demonstrating that lightning was electrical. However, the history of electricity dates all the way back to 500 BC when static electricity was first mentioned by Thales of Miletus during one of his experiments with amber. We’ve come a long way since, and electricity is used to power everything from our homes, places of work, and even our cars in the modern age. 

Electricity has not been in modern life for very long, and yet it is hard to imagine life without it. From temperature regulation year-round to turning on the lights in your home at night, there are a myriad of helpful uses for modern-day electricity. But where did this power source come from, and how did it come to be so prevalent in modern society? As a celebration of National Electric Day, let’s dive into the history of electricity and what modern and future uses look like. 

Before our world was covered in lights, moving cars, and automatic doors, candles or oil lamps were used to light up homes. While there were experiments done to understand the nature of electricity, the modern idea of what electricity is did not come about until 1879 with Thomas Edison’s invention of the contemporary lightbulb. Mentions of electricity, however, have been mentioned long before this occasion. Diving into the history of electricity begins in 500 BC, with static electricity:

The earliest mention of electricity was from experiments done by Thalus of Miletus in 500 BC by rubbing animal fur on amber to produce static. However, it wasn’t until two thousand years later that William Gilbert, in the 1600s, published his theories on electricity in a book titled De Magnete. From here, Robert William Boyle drafted Experiments and Notes about the Mechanical Origin or Production of Electricity in 1675.

In the 18th century, more significant advances were made toward the discovery of modern-day electricity uses. Stephen Gray established the principle that wires can transport small static charges, which aided the discovery of electricity’s conductive powers in 1729. Years later, in 1752, Benjamin Franklin completed his famous kite experiment in a thunderstorm, proving that lightning was electricity.

The 19th century contained more breakthroughs, as researchers and businessmen alike were hard at work creating electrical innovations. Alessandro Volta invented the electric battery in the year 1800, followed by the founding of George Ohm’s “Ohm’s Law”, which defined the relationship between power, voltage, current, and resistance in 1826. After this, Michael Faraday was able to generate electricity in 1831 using a machine called the Faraday disk which produced a steady current of electricity by rotating copper coils between the poles of a magnet.

Electricity began to take more of a modern shape at the turn of the century with Thomas Edison’s light bulb, followed by rapid advancement in adjusting electricity to become a part of everyday life in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Modern electricity as we know it would begin to take shape with significant advancement over time as more and more people adapted to electricity within their homes.

The late 1800s continued to show advancements in the history of electricity. With the advent of the incandescent light bulb powered by direct current (DC) by Thomas Edison, indoor electrical lighting could now be practical. With this began the leap toward modern electricity. The first public electric lighting system utilized alternating current (AC) powered arc lamps around this time. The first electrical power plant in the US was opened in Manhattan in 1882 at Pearl Street Station, which delivered electricity directly to buildings and homes in the area.

Eventually, during the turn of the century, competition between Edison’s DC system and George Westinghouse and Nikola Tesla’s AC system would be dubbed “the War of the Currents.” While Tesla started as a student of Edison, he believed in a different current for converting voltage, the AC system. The war continued through 1893, for which system would reign supreme when AC technology from Westinghouse was contracted for use at the Chicago World Fair over the choice of DC power from General Electric. Finally, the War of the Currents ended in 1896, when AC technology was chosen to power the Niagara Falls hydroelectric generator, which transmitted electricity to Buffalo, New York, more than 20 miles away. This led to AC becoming the standard for electricity due to its efficiency and cost for the United States.

The history of electricity continued to expand on a large scale throughout the early 1900s as electric appliances and technologies continued to emerge. Electric lights, electric motors, streetcars, transportation, and manufacturing all began to take shape during this time as more and more people got connected. Throughout the middle 1900s, the expansion of the electrical grid and new nuclear power in the 1950s introduced a new way to harness and spread electricity as the standard in homes all across the United States. 

Eventually, into the late 1900s and modern-day, significant advancements in electronics and computer technology contributed to further shaping the electricity world. The growth of telecommunications increased the demand for televisions, telephones, and computers, which expanded electric usage. Eventually, our modern, highly complex, and interconnected electrical system network began to incorporate advanced monitoring, control, and communication technologies to optimize power distribution and even enable renewable energy. 

Our modern-day electrical system works on a “smart grid” to power our homes, businesses, and lives. Our advanced monitoring, control, and communication technologies have allowed us to be interconnected in ways that were previously only dreamed of. Life without electricity is now unimaginable. The history of electricity from the 1800s to the modern-day reflects a journey filled with innovation, expansion, and a quest to find the best possible electrical solutions. This journey is reflected today in the search for renewable resources and alternative sources of electricity to power our world. 

On National Electricity Day, we focus on the progression of electrical systems to further expand our ways of powering our homes and daily lives as our energy needs continue to evolve. Envisioning a future electricity system is currently taking shape in the form of three main categories: renewable resources, energy storage, and energy efficiency.

Renewable energy has gained significant traction and support in recent decades as society seeks cleaner and more sustainable sources of electricity. This can be seen in the development of electric cars, wind energy, solar energy, and more. Advanced grid management systems and the expansion of electric vehicles will significantly contribute to the rise of these renewable resource efforts in the coming years.

Energy storage capabilities are also set to increase in advancements over the course of the future years. This will enable better utilization of intermittent renewable energy sources and grid resilience, most notably through lithium-ion batteries and solar energy storage for future uses. These can significantly benefit future power grid emergencies and the increasing demand for electricity as the years progress. 

The focus on energy efficiency and conservation has increased steadily over the years, with constantly growing developments towards efficient appliances, LED lighting, and innovative home technologies to enable better control and management of electricity usage. Building more efficient structures, enabling automated intelligence, and industrial efficiency are all increasing as time goes on to support the efforts to further energy efficiency. 

The history of electricity is a long and progressive journey over time that helped us achieve the power grid we use every day. Countless advancements led us to develop ways to power our homes in ways our ancestors could never have imagined. From the discovery of static electricity from Thalus of Miletus in 500 BC to the War of the Currents in the late-1800s, modern-day electricity faced a journey through history to reach every corner of our homes. The history of electricity has been a remarkable journey of innovation and progress to transform the way we live, work, and interact with our world.

On National Electricity Day, we remember the visionaries who led us down the path of the history of electricity as we look toward the future of electrical progression. Renewable resources, energy storage capabilities, and energy efficiency will all be instrumental in changing the way we interact with electricity. In the meantime, make sure that the electricity in your own home is working correctly to power every aspect of your and your family’s lives.

Electrical work should always be done by a professional, which is why Alpha Team Electric is here to provide outstanding electrical service to residential and commercial clients in Round Rock and Williamson County, Texas. We are bonded, licensed electrical technicians here to provide integrity and exceptional service to our clients. Whether you need lighting services, surge protection, electric vehicle charging station installation, or more, Alpha Team Electric is here to provide you with outstanding customer service and skilled workmanship every time. Contact us for all your electrical needs!