Trystan Casey
The late 1800s was a period of significant progress in the evolution of electricity. By this time, electricity was already powering homes, businesses, and streetlights, with light bulbs, telegraphs, and early batteries being some of the earliest uses of the technology. Hydropower was at the forefront of this transition, with the Grand Rapids Electric Light and Power Co. generating DC electricity using hydropower in 1880. This was followed by the establishment of the world's first central DC hydroelectric station in 1882 and the rapid proliferation of hydroelectric plants across the US and Canada in the following years. The late 19th century also witnessed the emergence of high-voltage AC power, with the first operative AC line installed in Rome, Italy, in 1885, and the first high-voltage AC power station put into service in London in 1889. During this period, pioneers like Thomas Edison, Humphry Davy, and Joseph Swan played pivotal roles in perfecting inventions such as the light bulb.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Electricity in the late 1800s | Hydropower was used as a commercial electricity generation source |
| The first electric power transmission line in North America operated at 4000 V | |
| The first high-voltage AC power station was put into service in 1889 | |
| The first operative AC line was put into service in Rome, Italy, in 1885 | |
| The first British AC system was put into service in London in 1885 | |
| The first DC hydroelectric station powered a paper mill in Wisconsin in the early 1880s | |
| By 1886, there were 40-50 hydroelectric plants operating in the US and Canada | |
| By 1888, around 200 electric companies relied on hydropower for electricity generation | |
| The world's first 5-MW steam turbine was delivered in 1903 | |
| Early uses of electricity | Light bulbs, telegraphs, and early batteries |
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What You'll Learn
Hydropower
In 1878, the world's first hydroelectric project powered a single lamp in the Cragside country house in Northumberland, England. Three years later, in 1881, the Niagara Falls hydroelectric plant became the first to power a city's streetlights. This was followed by the establishment of hydropower plants in Grand Rapids, Michigan (1880), and Dolgeville and Niagara Falls, New York (1881). These plants supplied mills and provided lighting for local buildings.
Within a decade of the Niagara Falls plant opening, over 200 more hydropower plants were operational in the United States. The spread of hydropower technology continued globally, with Germany producing the first three-phase hydro-electric system in 1891, and Australia opening the first publicly-owned plant in the Southern Hemisphere in 1895. The Edward Dean Adams Power Plant, the world's largest hydroelectric development at the time, was also established at Niagara Falls in 1895.
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Electric power transmission lines
The late 1800s saw the advent of electricity in homes, businesses, and streetlights. The widespread transmission of electric power faced two key obstacles: the need for separate lines catering to devices with different voltage requirements, and the constraint of generators being located relatively near the devices they powered. However, the late 19th century witnessed the emergence of electric power transmission lines, marking a shift from earlier telodynamic, pneumatic, and hydraulic transmission systems.
In 1878, Paris showcased electric arc lighting along the Avenue de l'Opera and the Place de l'Opera, powered by Yablochkov arc lamps and Zénobe Gramme alternating current dynamos. This technology soon spread to other cities, with central power plants providing electricity to multiple customers through electrical transmission lines. By the late 1800s, the benefits of electrical systems were well known to city planners and financiers.
The California Electric Company (now PG&E) in San Francisco in 1879 used direct current generators from Charles Brush's company to supply multiple customers with power for their arc lamps. This marked the first instance of a utility selling electricity from a central plant to multiple customers via transmission lines. The Grand Rapids Electric Light & Power Company, established in March 1880, operated the world's first commercial central station hydroelectric power plant, powering a paper mill in Appleton, Wisconsin.
The first long-distance transmission of electricity occurred in 1889, linking a powerhouse at Willamette Falls to 55 streetlights in Portland, Oregon, 14 miles away. This development, using direct current, signalled a major innovation in energy technology, demonstrating the feasibility of transmitting electrical power over long distances. Subsequently, in 1891, a German team constructed a 100-mile alternating-current, high-voltage, three-phase transmission line from a hydroelectric generator to Frankfurt, achieving the same efficiency as the Portland line but over a much greater distance. This convinced the developers of Niagara Falls to adopt alternating-current transmission to transmit power to Buffalo, New York, 22 miles away, in 1895.
The evolution of electric power transmission lines in the late 1800s laid the foundation for the centralization of the American power system, with power plants growing in size and transmission distances expanding.
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Light bulbs
The development of the light bulb was a significant milestone in the history of electricity. While the concept of electricity dates back to 500 BC when Thales of Miletus discovered static electricity, it wasn't until the 19th century that inventors began working on illuminating sources using electricity.
In 1835, Belgian lithographer Marcellin Jobard invented an incandescent light bulb with a vacuum atmosphere using a carbon filament. However, it was Thomas Edison who is widely credited with perfecting the light bulb and making it practical for everyday use. Edison's work on the lighting system included improvements to the generation and distribution of electricity, as well as the development of the first electric meter. In 1882, he demonstrated that electricity could be distributed from a centrally located generator through a series of wires and tubes.
Other inventors also made significant contributions to the development of the light bulb. For instance, Humphry Davy and Joseph Swan experimented with carbonized paper filaments in an evacuated glass bulb. By the mid-1870s, Swan's experiments improved, and he was able to demonstrate a working device, although it had a short lifetime and was inefficient. Henry Woodward and Mathew Evans from Canada also filed a patent in 1874 for a lamp consisting of carbon rods mounted in a nitrogen-filled glass cylinder, which they later sold to Edison in 1879.
In 1851, Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin publicly demonstrated incandescent light bulbs on his estate in Blois, France. These bulbs are now on display in the museum of the Château de Blois. Other notable inventors include Moses G. Farmer, who built an electric incandescent bulb with a platinum filament, and Alexander Lodygin, who obtained a Russian patent in 1874 for an incandescent lamp with a unique design.
The incandescent bulb continued to evolve, and in 1904, European inventors introduced the tungsten filament, which provided brighter light and longer-lasting performance compared to carbon filament bulbs. In 1913, Irving Langmuir further improved the design by using inert gas, doubling the efficiency of the bulb. These advancements paved the way for modern lighting solutions, with the introduction of LED-based bulbs and various other efficient lighting technologies.
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Early batteries
The late 1800s witnessed the advent of electricity, with hydropower emerging as the first commercial electricity generation source. This period also marked the development of early batteries, which played a pivotal role in energizing American life and culture.
One of the earliest known batteries, the Leyden jar, dates back to the mid-1700s. It served as an early form of capacitor, storing electrical charge physically and releasing it all at once. However, it was Alessandro Volta who created the world's first true battery in 1800. This invention, known as the voltaic pile, produced a continuous and stable electric current. Volta's battery consisted of a stack of copper and zinc discs separated by cloth soaked in salty water, producing a voltage of 0.76 volts.
The voltaic pile provided a steadier current compared to the Leyden jar, enabling new experiments and discoveries. One notable improvement was the Daniell cell, invented by John Frederic Daniell in 1836. This cell utilized a copper pot filled with a copper sulfate solution and a zinc electrode immersed in sulfuric acid, separated by a porous earthenware barrier. The Daniell cell was a significant advancement, offering the first practical source of electricity.
Another early rechargeable battery was the nickel-cadmium battery (NiCd), which employed an alkali electrolyte. In 1859, the lead-acid battery was invented, and it remains in use today, particularly in automobiles. The basic principle behind this battery has remained unchanged since its inception.
The development of batteries in the 1800s laid the foundation for modern battery technology, and the quest for improvements in charging times, weight reduction, extended lifespan, and cost-effectiveness continues to drive innovation in the industry.
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Turbine generators
By the late 19th century, electricity was being used to power homes, businesses, and streetlights. Turbine-based generation is now the dominant method for electricity production worldwide.
Turbines use a source of kinetic power to rotate a shaft, which then produces an electric current. There are several types of turbines that can be used in electricity generation, including:
- Steam turbines, which use highly pressurised steam to rotate the shaft.
- Gas turbines, which use combustion gases to rotate the shaft.
- Water turbines, which use the force of moving water to rotate the shaft.
- Wind turbines, which use wind power to rotate the shaft.
- Internal combustion engines, which use an internal combustion process to rotate the shaft.
In the late 1800s, several important developments in turbine technology took place. In 1884, Charles Algernon Parsons developed a steam turbine engine, which he connected to a dynamo, creating a generator capable of producing up to 7.5 kilowatts (kW) of power. This invention kickstarted a revolution in electrical and mechanical technology, reshaping how electricity was produced.
Turbine technology continued to advance in the early 1900s. By 1901, GE had developed a 500-kW Curtis turbine generator, which used high-pressure steam to drive the rapid rotation of a shaft-mounted disk. By 1903, they delivered the world's first 5-MW steam turbine. By 1912, turbine-generator units were capable of producing 25,000 kW of electricity, and they became the primary source of electricity generation worldwide.
Today, turbine technology has advanced even further, with some turbines capable of producing over 600 MW of electricity. Turbine-based generation remains the dominant method for electricity production, and Parsons' original turbine concept has largely withstood the test of time.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the late 19th century saw the development of electricity for use in homes, businesses, and public spaces.
Early uses of electricity included light bulbs, telegraphs, and early batteries.
Thomas Edison is credited with perfecting the light bulb, but Humphry Davy and Joseph Swan also contributed to its development.
Hydropower was one of the first sources of electricity, with the Grand Rapids Electric Light and Power Co. generating DC electricity using hydropower in 1880. By 1886, there were 40-50 hydroelectric plants in the US and Canada.
One challenge was determining the best method for generating electricity. For example, the Niagara Falls Power Company considered various proposals, including compressed air, before deciding to use electricity for power generation.
