Origins of a global industry – Part One: Waterwheels to turbines

Origins of a Global Industry is a special three-part series describing the historical background and some of the pioneers responsible for shaping the hydropower industry as we know it today. The first part focuses on the evolution, which occurred in a relatively short period time, in the way that energy is harnessed from a flowing stream. Parts two and three will look at how the coming of electricity transformed the role of water power, and finally on the impact it has had on the making of some nations.