The Beginnings of the Modern Electrical Grid - 1800's

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Michael Faraday was an English scientist that was the first to realize that an electric current could be produced by passing a magnet through a copper wire. In 1821 it was relatively insignificant, but this theory of electromagnetic induction would pave the way for the invention of the modern motor. Almost all of the electricity that we use today is made with magnets and coils of copper wire in giant power plants, based on technology that Faraday invented.

Georg Simon Ohm, a German physicist, was able to prove the relationship between voltage, resistance and amperage which laid the foundation for electrical circuits. More about Ohm here.

Thomas Edison’s contributions to lighting and electrical engineering are invaluable. His focus in 1879 was inventing a practical light source that would last a long time before burning out (unlike a candle or oil lamp). The big challenge with this “light bulb” that he was working on was finding a strong material for the filament which was the small wire inside the bulb that conducts electricity. Eventually Edison used an ordinary cotton thread which had been soaked in carbon. Rather than burn, it became incandescent (that is, it glowed).

Edison’s next challenge was to develop an electrical system that provided people a practical source of energy to power these new lights. At the time of their invention they were powered by expensive batteries. Edison dreamed of providing electrical power to people’s homes that was both practical and economical. His Pearl Street Power Station was built in New York City in 1882. Edison had indeed created the first electric power plant, which is significant in so many ways. Not only did this provide a practical means of transporting electricity to people’s homes but it also created the foundation of modern electricity. The following items were born out of this invention: copper/aluminum conductors, insulation techniques for feeders, the National Electrical Code, electricians, electrical engineering and the widespread usage of both motors and generators.

Aside from the upfront cost to install lighting and wiring, the biggest drawback to Edison’s system was that it was direct current. This meant that homes that wanted to receive electrical power from Edison’s power plant needed to be located within one square mile of the Pearl Street Station. This obviously has many disadvantages.

Nikola Tesla was an inventor who came to the United States in 1884. His vision of a rotating magnetic field led to the development of both alternating current and the modern motor. He was briefly employed by Thomas Edison but the two soon parted ways. After that, Tesla worked intensely to develop polyphase alternating current systems for generators, motors and transformers. Out of this work he amassed numerous U.S. patents.

George Westinghouse bought Tesla’s patents and opened the first major power plant at Niagara Falls in 1895. This power plant utilized alternating current which meant that it could transport electricity to 200 square miles from the power plant. Because of this geographical advantage, alternating current became the standard for modern electrical systems.

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