In 1878, in the USA, Thomas Edison developed and sold a commercially viable replacement for gas lighting and heating using locally generated and distributed direct current electricity.In early 1882, Edison opened the world’s first steam-powered electricity generating station in London.The era of large-scale electric power distribution arguably began on August 26, 1895, when water flowing over Niagara Falls was diverted through a pair of high-speed turbines that were coupled to two 5,000-horsepower generators. The bulk of the electricity produced at about 2200 volts and used locally for the manufacture of aluminum.

The First Industrial Revolution saw steam-powered machines replace human labor in industry. The Second Industrial Revolution saw electricity replace steam as the main power source in industry. Electric power is properly considered as a key element of the so-called "Second Industrial Revolution" of the last quarter or so of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th. This revolution, together with the transformation of the chemical industry and the internal combustion engine, redefined the whole set of technological opportunities available to industrializing societies. The electrical and chemical industries shared the important feature that their development was heavily dependent upon scientific progress in the 19th century.Electric generators were crucial.A number of scientific developments were made during the Second Industrial Revolution. Scientists searched for other energy sources to use instead of steam.In 1860, the first internal combustion engine was built by Belgian engineer J. Lenoi. Gas was used as fuel.Around this time, electricity was applied to trams. Trams had been built to move people around cities. The first trams were horse and steam drawn. In 1863, electricity was applied to the underground railway systems in Britain. By the end of the century, the majority of trains in Britain were run on electricity. In 1891, the engine was moved to the front of the vehicle to distribute weight more efficiently. In 1895, E and A Michelin developed the first air tyres. By 1908, Henry Ford from the United States planned to mass produce the car on a production line. The modern manufacturing and car industries were born. The Second Industrial Revolution brought advances in new energy sources, communication and transport. In each of these developments, electricity played a major role.

Three Gorges, currently the largest hydroelectric power station, and the largest power producing body ever built, at 22,500 MW, more than twice the installed capacity of the largest nuclear power station.Taichung - Taiwan, the largest coal-fired power station, at 5,500 MW.Surgut-2 - Russia, the largest natural gas power station at 5,600 MW.Kachiwazaki- Kariwa - Japan, the largest nuclear power station at 8,212 MW (not currently operating)Esti Power Station - Estonia, the largest oil shale-fired power station at 1,615 MW.Shoaiba power – Saudi Arabia with a total capacity of 5,600 MW,which makes it the largest fossil fuel-fired power stations in the world.Shatura - Russia, largest peat-fired power station at 1,500 MW.Tilbury B Power Station - GB, since 2011 the largest bio fuel power station at 750 MW.Hellisheidi Power Station - Iceland, the largest geothermal power station at 303 MW.Sihwa Lake – South Korea, the largest tidal power station at 254 MW.Topaz – USA is the largest PV power stations at 300 MW.Aguçadoura – Portugal, the largest wave farm at 2.25 MW.Alta - USA, the largest wind farm at 1200 MW.London Array Wind Farm, the largest offshore wind farm at 630 MW.

Opened in 1966 as the world's first tidal power station, it is currently operated by Électricité de France and was for 45 years the largest tidal power station in the world by installed capacity until the South Korean Sihwa Lake Tidal Power Station surpassed it in 2011.

The earliest known record of the direct conversion of solar radiation into mechanical power belongs to Auguste Mouchout, a mathematics instructor at the Lyce de Tours. Mouchout began his solar work in 1860 after expressing grave concerns about his country's dependence on coal. By the following year he was granted the first patent for a motor running on solar power and continued to improve his design until about 1880. During this period the inventor laid the foundation for our modern understanding of converting solar radiation into mechanical steam power.

The first windmill used for the production of electricity was built in Scotland in July 1887 by Prof James Blyth of Anderson's College, Glasgow. In Denmark wind power was an important part of a decentralized electrification in the first quarter of the 20th century. In 1941 the world's first megawatt-size wind turbine was connected to the local electrical distribution system on the mountain known as Grandpa's Knob in the USA.

In the 20th century, demand for electricity led to the consideration of geothermal power as a generating source. Prince Piero Ginori Conti tested the first geothermal power generator on 4 July 1904 in Larderello, Italy. It successfully lit four lightbulbs. Later, in 1911, the world's first commercial geothermal power plant was built there and Italy was the world's only industrial producer of geothermal electricity until 1958.In 1958, New Zealand became the second major industrial producer of geothermal electricity.

Around the world, there are about 62,500 power plants operating today. That includes everything from coal-fired plants to hydroelectric dams to wind farms.

In 2011, more than 440 nuclear power plants in 30 countries across the globe were busy supplying 14 percent of the world's current electricity needs. Nuclear power certainly has its pros and cons, but no one can deny its importance.

Enough sunlight reaches the earth’s surface each minute to satisfy the world’s energy demands—for an entire year.

The United States produces half of its electricity from coal. China uses coal to generate more than three-fourths of its electricity. Australia, Poland, and South Africa produce an even greater percentage. Overall, coal makes up 2/5 of the world’s electricity generation.

In the average home, 75% of the electricity used to power home electronics is consumed while the products are turned off. The average desktop computer idles at 80 watts, while the average laptop idles at 20 watts. A Sony PlayStation 3 uses about 200 watts and nearly as much when idle. Idle power consumes more electricity than all the solar panels in America combined

China has taken over the U.S. as both the world’s largest CO2 emitter and the world’s largest energy consumer.

83% of the world’s air pollution comes from the production and use of electricity. Refrigerators account for 7% of the nation’s total energy use.

The amount of energy produced by the sun in a 2 week period equals the combined stored energy of all the coal, iron, and natural gas reserves known to man.