Historical perspective on the value of electricity in American manufacturing

Technical Report · Wed Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6774921· OSTI ID:6774921

Use of electricity in manufacturing is increasing faster than use of fuels. The history of the first major shift to electricity in industry and a perspective on changes that accompanied electrification are provided. Between 1880 and 1930 the production and distribution of mechanical power rapidly evolved from water and steam prime movers with shaft and belt drive systems to electric motors that drove individual machines. The electrification of mechanical drive proceeded in three stages: at first, large electric motors simply replaced prime movers in turning long line shafts; then, machines were divided into groups along shorter shafts, and each group was powered by a separate smaller motor; finally, shafting was eliminated and each machine was run by its own electric motor. The use of electricity reduced slightly the energy required to drive machinery and sometimes the total cost of running machinery. More important, electric drive enabled industry - through innovation in factory organization - to get greater output per unit of capital and labor input. This increase in productivity in manufacturing strongly influenced the relationship between energy consumption and gross national product in the first half of the twentieth century.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge Associated Universities, Inc., TN (USA). Inst. for Energy Analysis
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76OR00033
• OSTI ID: 6774921
• Report Number(s): ORAU/IEA-82-8(M); ON: DE83001239
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
296000 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Electric Power
32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320301* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Energy Sources
DOCUMENT TYPES
ECONOMICS
ELECTRIC MOTORS
ELECTRIC POWER
INDUSTRY
MACHINE PARTS
MARKET
MOTORS
NORTH AMERICA
POWER
REVIEWS
SHAFTS
USA
VALUES