Energy history facts

From ancient times people use various energy sources. Geothermal energy were used for springs and heating, hydro and wind energy were used for mills, sailing, water pumps and other mechanical devices, solar energy was used for heating, biomass and coal were used for heating, illumination, cooking, and so on.  For example, nearly 2000 years ago the Greeks used water wheels to grind wheat into flour.

Steam engines were first serious “modern” power source in the world. Steam engines were mostly powered by biomass and coal. The first commercial steam-powered engine device was a water pump, developed in 1698 by Thomas Savery. It used a vacuum to raise water from below, then used steam pressure to raise it higher.

Edwin Drake's 1859 well near Titusville, Pennsylvania, is popularly considered the first modern crude oil well. In the 1840s, the process to distill kerosene from crude oil was invented by James Young in Scotland and the first refinery was built by Ignacy Łukasiewicz, providing a cheaper alternative to whale oil.

The world's first power plant consisted of 24 dynamo electric generators which were driven by a steam engine. It was built by Sigmund Schuckert in the Bavarian town of Ettal (Germany) and went into operation in 1878. Power plant is industrial facility for the generation of electric power.

The first commercial power plant in the United States using three-phase alternating current was at the Mill Creek No. 1 Hydroelectric Plant near Redlands, California, in 1893 designed by Almirian Decker.

In 1878 the world's first hydroelectric power scheme was developed at Cragside in Northumberland, England by William George Armstrong. It was used to power a single arc lamp in his art gallery.

The first major hydro-electric power plants were built by Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse in 1895 on Niagara Falls (USA). These Power Plants practically started the electrification of the world.

In 1911 the world's first commercial geothermal power plant was built in Larderello, Italy. Experimental generators were built in Beppu, Japan and the Geysers, California, in the 1920s, but Italy was the world's only industrial producer of geothermal electricity until 1958.

Photoelectric effect was first observed 1839 by Edmond Becquerel, a physicist from France. In year 1876 Adams and Day observed the photovoltaic effect in solid selenium.  Modern solar cell was discovered in 1954. The first 1 MWP solar park was built by Arco Solar at Lugo near Hesperia, California at the end of 1982, followed in 1984 by a 5.6 MWP installation in Carrizo Plain.

On June 27, 1954, the USSR's Obninsk Nuclear Power Plant became the world's first nuclear power plant to generate electricity for a power grid, and produced around 5 megawatts of electric power. Obninsk is in today’s Russia.

About 500 B.C. the Chinese discovered the potential of natural gas. Finding places where gas was seeping to the surface, the Chinese formed crude pipelines out of bamboo shoots to transport the gas, where it was used to boil sea water, separating the salt and making it drinkable. Britain was the first country to commercialize the use of natural gas. Around 1785, natural gas produced from coal was used to light houses, as well as streetlights.

Opened on the 26th November 1966, the Rance Tidal Power Station is the world's first tidal power station and also the world's second biggest tidal power station. The facility is located on the estuary of the Rance River, in Brittany, France.

An early application of wave power was a device constructed around 1910 by Bochaux-Praceique to light and power his house at Royan, near Bordeaux in France. In 2008, the first experimental wave farm was opened in Portugal, at the Aguçadoura Wave Park.

Tidal power in UK renewable energy sector

Tidal power to provide most of the UK's renewable energy. United Kingdom is one of the countries that want to play important role in global clean energy race, and currently the renewable energy sector in which United Kingdom has the edge over all other countries is tidal power. The United Kingdom currently leads the way in the innovation and commercialization of tidal power, and this renewable energy source has potential to keep the UK economy competitive in years to come.

Currently, around one quarter of tidal and wave power projects are being developed in UK, and UK definitely doesn't want to lose its main role in tidal power industry. The main proof to that was more than $35 million of UK government funding to couple of highly promising wave and tidal power technologies.

One of the recently granted companies was well known Aquamarine Power Company that was awarded 5.1 million pounds to support the manufacture of its second generation wave energy device, the so called Oyster 2. Norwegian tidal power company Hammerfest Strom AS that develops one megawatt (MW) tidal power plant off the north-east coast of Scotland was also among awarded companies, receiving over 3 million pounds.


United Kingdom certainly has great potential in its wave and tidal power resources, and further harnessing of these resources would have double benefit as it would not only help UK to achieve its climate change targets but could also help boost economy in UK making it more competitive on global scale.

Britain's current goals include 15% of energy coming from renewables by 2020, and tidal power could play very important role in achieving this goal. More than 80 percent of total Britain's tidal power potential is located in Scottish waters.

UK has also recently announced the so called "Marine Energy Action Plan" under which UK should generate up to 2MW of renewable energy from wave and tidal power by 2020.

UK's leading marine energy experts believe that with the adequate financial support tidal and wave power could provide between 15 and 20 % of the UK's energy, reduce carbon emissions by 70 million tons by 2050, and create up to 16,000 new green jobs in United Kingdom.

If UK really wants to become one of the most important countries in clean energy race then tidal and wave power look to be one of the best options in doing so. It is quite clear that domestic marine energy sector needs government's financial support to become commercially viable option and attract investors. It will be very interesting to see whether UK's government understands this or not.

First wave energy farm opened in Portugal

Portugal looks to be heading to the wave energy sector as the two wave power machines launched off the coast of Portuguese town Oporto. Wave energy converters called “Pelamis” generate electricity from the movement of the waves. Wave energy is clean and renewable energy source with great future potential, and Portugal plans to add another 25 Pelamis converters off the coast of Oporto in years to come.

Rui Barros, representative of the company Enersis that stands behind this project said how “Pelamis generates the equivalent of what a wind turbine was producing five years ago, which is about 750 kW and this machine alone can meet the energy demands of 500 Portuguese homes a year”.

Pelamis wave power system.

The basic working principles of this machine that utilizes wave energy are fairly simple. It consists of two swells, forward and back swell, that activate hydraulic rams and, which in end of the process, generates electricity. Enersis Director Ian Sharpe also has high opinion about future of this project as he added how “wind technology was probably the main renewable technology to become commercial, but there's a very great resource for wave energy. This is the first commercial demonstration of that”.

Portugal's Economy Minister Manuel Pinho was thrilled when opening this brand new wave farm and explained that his country wants to make renewable energy sector dominant with the use of different renewable energy sources: “We are currently generating almost 45% of the electricity used in this country from renewable energy sources. The aim is to hit 60% by 2020. This whole shift is creating more industry. New businesses are being set up here. There are already more than 10,000 people working in the sector”.

Pelamis wave energy converter.

But there is not only that as the state also guarantees a purchase price for the electricity generated from renewable energy in order to boost this sector. This has great potential and aims to encourage partnerships between the public and private sectors in its turn to renewable energy sector. “In order to ensure this new renewable energy trend Portugal already created a pilot zone in the north of Lisbon which is open, and encourages the installation of new renewable technologies. This is not only open for domestic purposes but also for foreign companies that want to bring their renewable technologies here as Portugal also wants to share their experiences to enhance its renewable energy sector”.

It looks like Portugal wants to be major renewable energy force in Europe, and this brand new wave power project is only one of many other renewable energy sources that Portugal wants to further explore.

Pelamis wave energy converter video:

Tidal power (tidal energy) facts

Tidal energy is the utilization of the sun and moon's gravitational forces - as the tide is the result of their influences.

Tidal energy is a type of energy that produces electricity and other forms of power through the use of water.

Tidal energy is energy that could be obtained from the changing sea levels. In other words, tidal energy is a direct result of tide shifting from low to high.

Tidal energy is one of the oldest forms of energy. Tide mills, in use on the Spanish, French and British coasts, date back to 787 A.D. Tide mills consisted of a storage pond, filled by the incoming tide through a sluice and emptied during the outgoing tide through a water wheel.

The tide moves a huge amount of water twice each day and although the tidal energy supply is reliable and plentiful, converting it into useful electrical power is not easy.

There are two basic theories on how to convert tides into power. The first involves converting the power of the horizontal movement of the water into electricity. The second involves producing energy from the rise and drop of water levels.

La rance tidal power plant.

Tidal energy is considered to be a renewable source of energy since it only uses the energy from the changing of the tides instead of burning or consuming any form of energy source.

Although the technology required to harness tidal energy is well established, tidal power is expensive, and there is only one major tidal generating station in operation. This is a 240 megawatt station at the mouth of the La Rance river estuary in France.

The major advantage of tidal energy is its economical benefits. For example, tidal energy does not require any fuel. Tides rise and fall every day in a very consistent pattern.

The technology required to convert tidal energy into electricity is very similar to the technology used in traditional hydro-electric power plants - dam, gates and turbines.

There are three prototypes of tidal energy devices: horizontal axis turbine, vertical axis turbine, and oscillating devices.

The cost of tidal energy is very site specific, and influenced by geography, distance to grid, and speed and volume of the current.

The altering of the ecosystem at the bay is the biggest drawback of tidal power. Damages like reduced flushing, winter icing and erosion can change the vegetation of the area and disrupt the balance.

Tidal energy underwater turbine.

Tidal energy is not on the list of sustainable energy technologies the UN agencies even though for islanders it is our best hope for large amounts of affordable clean power.

Stream tidal energy is harnessed from currents – horizontal water movement which is created by the rise and fall of tides.

Turbines, similar to wind turbines, can be anchored to the sea bed to generate electricity from tidal currents.

Tidal energy is at its most efficient where the height of the tide, mass of water being moved, and the speed of its movement are all at their optimum level.

Tidal energy is perceived as having the potential to provide a reliable source of green energy because it is predictable and guaranteed, unlike wind turbines, which are dependent on the weather.

Tidal energy has an efficiency of 80% in converting the potential energy of the water into electricity.

Tidal power can provide secondary benefits such as bridges and roads, which are built over the tidal generators.

Tidal power changes the sedimentation and turbidity (how clear the water is) of the water system.

Ocean energy facts

Ocean energy is a form of renewable energy that uses the ocean's tides, waves, winds, currents and thermal elements to generate energy.

Oceans cover over 70% of the Earth’s surface, making them the world’s largest solar energy collectors. The oceans constitute the largest powerhouse on Earth.

There are three basic ways to tap the ocean for its energy. We can use the ocean's waves (Ocean Wave Power), we can use the ocean's high and low tides (Ocean Tidal Power), or we can use temperature differences in the water (Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion – OTEC).

Ocean energy is mostly in an experimental stage but some of its component technologies have the potential to become mainstream energy sources and are now being trialed.

Ocean tides constitute a clean and inexhaustible energy source, free from the climatic irregularities which are a constraint on wind and solar power.

Oceans cover over 70% of the Earth’s surface. Click on picture for full size.

One of the world’s most suitable sites is the estuary of the river Rance, in western France, where the difference between high and low tides averages 8.17 metres, peaking at 13.5 metres during the equinoxes.

In order to disseminate knowledge and promote sharing of information on Ocean Energy conversion, the Co-ordinated Action on Ocean Energy was launched in October 2004 with scheduled duration of 3 years, in continuation to the European Wave Energy Network, which proved very successful in meeting these targets.

The Co-ordinated Action on Ocean Energy is expected to promote and disseminate promising methodologies and technologies in the field of Ocean Energy systems and generate awareness to a wider public worldwide.

Ocean energy is preferable to wind because tides are constant and predictable and water’s natural density requires fewer turbines than are needed to produce the same amount of wind power.

Of all the emerging alternative technologies, ocean energy is perhaps the least advanced, but with great potential. Some says that ocean energy is where wind was 20 years ago because ocean energy is currently undeveloped compared to other conventional and renewable energy technologies.

There are three basic ways to tap the ocean for its energy. Ocean Wave Power is one of them. Click on picture for full size.

The biggest problem in developing renewable ocean energy is obtaining the necessary capital to prove the technology.

The cost of electricity from ocean energy is of the order of about a factor two compared to other electricity renewable energy sources.

The largest but most experimental form of ocean energy is ocean thermal energy conversion, which taps heat stored in the ocean to generate electricity.

Ocean Energy is recognized in the new US Energy Bill. The US Department of Energy is focusing its hydro capacity toward ocean energy.

Using current technologies, most ocean energy is not cost-effective compared to other renewable energy sources, but the ocean remains and important potential energy source for the future.

Over the past few decades ocean energy has been tested with the commercial viability receiving varying successes; yet, the physics are proven.

Ocean energy has the potential to deliver ten million terra-watt hours of electricity per year.

Ocean turbine. Click on picture for full size.

In recent years ocean energy has started to receive funding for R&D in European Union that is significantly larger than at any time in its history.

According to the survey of United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (Ho, 2003), the global reserve of ocean energy was 73.6 TW, in which around 40 TW was OTEC.

The cost of ocean energy systems will reduce as the numbers of devices produced, per offshore development, increase. However, unless the devices can be arranged effectively in an array, large scale deployment will not be commercially viable.

The ocean can produce two types of energy: thermal energy from the sun's heat, and mechanical energy from the tides and waves.

Alternative energy sources - Ocean and Earth Power

The Earth itself offers many promising sources of power. Like solar energy, geothermal resources have long provided humans with a source of heat, although harnessing the heat of the Earth to generate electricity dates back only to the turn of the last century. Geothermal energy is something that looks to have bright future in years to come because this is very efficient energy source that 48% more efficient than gas furnaces and even 75% more efficient than oil furnaces, and what is even more important it is ecologically acceptable energy source meaning that there are very little greenhouse gas emissions as a result of using the geothermal energy. The biggest geothermal disadvantage is that costs of installation are still pretty high, but with decent government incentives this really wouldn't be something that should stop current progress of this renewable energy source.


Tidal power involves capturing the kinetic energy of the incoming and outgoing tides, as well as the local difference between high tide and low tide. Similarly, there is energy in the wave action in the oceans. Since oceans cover more than 70% of Earth's surface it is they should be more used as source of energy. There is one big problem with wave energy though, the fact that waves are not equally present around the globe, and this energy source really has huge potential only in places with strong winds that create big waves. Tidal power, unlike the wave power is really a form of hydropower that exploits the movement of water caused by tidal currents, and the rise and fall in sea levels.

Alternative energy overview:
     1. Introduction
     2. Solar power
     3. Wind power
     4. Biomass/Biofuel
     5. Nuclear energy
     6. Ocean and Earth Power
     7. Conclusion