From Amps to Air Conditioning

Energy powers the economy and everyday life. It allows us to do things – light, heat, and cool buildings; travel; communicate; make and use thousands of products that underpin modern society. Innovation in the use of energy sources, such as coal, oil and natural gas, has been Ohio’s energy forte. Those contributions have involved electricity, perhaps more than any other form of energy. Thomas Edison, after all, was an Ohio native, and his inventions changed the world in so many ways. Far beyond Edison’s well-known story, however, other creative geniuses from Ohio allowed the world to squeeze more miles out of each gallon of gasoline and more electricity from each ton of coal. Electricity produced from coal and other energy sources pervades the global economy. How we measure electricity, the effects of using it, and how efficiently we use it, all are important factors affecting the world’s economy and our health, safety and pleasure. Public utilities and other energy companies don't make energy. They unlock and transport the energy in coal, fuel oil, nuclear fuel, sunlight, and other sources. Because energy is universal, Ohio's energy related discoveries and innovations are applied worldwide.