Heavy Current Electricity in the United Kingdom
History and Development
- 1st Edition - January 1, 1979
- Author: Christopher Hinton
- Language: English
- eBook ISBN:9 7 8 - 1 - 4 8 3 1 - 6 0 2 0 - 7
Heavy Current Electricity in the United Kingdom: History and Development focuses on the history and development of the electricity supply industry in the United Kingdom. The laws… Read more
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Request a sales quoteHeavy Current Electricity in the United Kingdom: History and Development focuses on the history and development of the electricity supply industry in the United Kingdom. The laws passed by Parliament, including those governing gas or other public companies supplying light by electricity, are considered, along with the nationalization of the electric power industry. This book consists of six chapters and opens with a discussion on Michael Faraday's discovery of electromagnetic induction that paved the way for the development of electric power, along with some major engineering achievements that contributed to advances in electricity generation. The next chapter looks at some of the laws enacted in Britain to regulate the use of electricity, including the Public Health Act of 1875 and the Gas Act of 1847. The debate over the merits of direct current vs. alternating current is also examined, together with attempts to remove legislative restrictions regarding the supply of electricity; Thomas Edison's establishment of Electric Light Company in America; and the emergence of the British manufacturing industry. The final chapter is devoted to the nationalization of the British electricity industry and the role played by the Central Electricity Board. This monograph will be of interest to energy policymakers as well as those in the electricity industry.
Preface
Chapter 1 Pre-History
The Epoch-Making Discovery
The Years of Engineering Leadership
The Scientist Becomes the Pioneer
Electricity is Put to Work
Chapter 2 The Need for Legislation
The Playfair Committee
The Merits and Shortcomings of Electric Light and the Decision of the Play Fair Committee
Edison and Swan Change the Picture-The Act of 1882
Major Marindin Fails to Arbitrate
Chapter 3 The Battle between the Systems
Grosvenor Gallery and Deptford
Ferranti-an Assessment
A Multiplicity of Small Systems
Development, Thoughtless of the Environment
Parsons Wins the Battle for Alternating Current
An Assessment of British Performance Up to 1900
Chapter 4 The Attempts to Remove Legislative Shackles
The First World War and the Williamson Committee
Old Willie Weir Points the Way
John Nicol Dunlop and the First World Energy Conference
The Reasons Why
Why these Reasons Prevailed
Chapter 5 Today's British Electrical Industry
Edison's Drive and Foresight
The Build-up of The British Manufacturing Industry
The Failure of the Attempt to Integrate the Manufacturing Industry
The Central Electricity Board-Its Strength and Its Weakness
Government Direction in the Second World War and after
Chapter 6 Nationalization
The Frightening Difficulties of the Newly Formed Board
The Shackles are Removed
Index
- No. of pages: 88
- Language: English
- Edition: 1
- Published: January 1, 1979
- Imprint: Pergamon
- eBook ISBN: 9781483160207
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