8. July 2025.
When we talk about the development of modern lighting, it is hard not to start by asking what would have happened if Edison’s direct current (DC) system had won the “war of electricity” instead of Tesla’s alternating current (AC). Direct current would have required a power plant to be located in close proximity to every street, factory, or home. It cannot withstand long-distance transmission. This would have made mass electrification – and therefore lighting – extremely expensive. It would also be logistically demanding and only available in densely populated urban centers.
