A HISTORY OF SOLAR ENERGY: ANCIENT ROOTS TO THE MODERN DAY

Solar energy has a rich and fascinating history that can be traced back thousands of years. From its early use in the Greek and Roman eras to the development of solar energy being used to power planes, the influence of the sun has shaped societies for centuries. Read on to discover everything you need to know about how solar energy changed the world…



ANCIENT BEGINNINGS

Solar energy was first used by humans as early as 7th century B.C. – this time period witnessed humans using sunlight to light fires with magnifying glass materials. Later, in 3rd century B.C., the Greeks and Romans were known to harness solar power with mirrors to light torches for religious ceremonies. In fact, we can actually trace the concepts of ‘sunrooms’ and natural light energy efficiency back to Roman times – these ideas were particularly prevalent in Roman bath houses that featured large windows to direct sunlight into one concentrated area.

THE INVENTION OF SOLAR PANELS

French scientist Edmond Becquerel, who determined light could increase electricity generation when two metal electrodes were placed into a conducting solution, is frequently credited with the invention of the solar cell. This early breakthrough, defined as the “photovoltaic effect,” was influential in later PV developments with the element selenium.

Later in 1873, Willoughby Smith discovered that selenium had photoconductive potential, which led to William Grylls Adams’ and Richard Evans Day’s 1876 discovery that selenium creates electricity when exposed to sunlight. In 1883, Charles Fritts actually produced the first solar cells made from selenium wafers – this caused several historians to credit Fritts with the actual invention of solar cells.

However, solar panels today are made with silicon rather than selenium. Therefore, the true invention of solar panels could arguably be tied to Daryl Chapin, Calvin Fuller, and Gerald Pearson’s creation of the silicon photovoltaic (PV) cell at Bell Labs in 1954.

SOLAR ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE MODERN ERA

The modern era has witnessed solar energy take the world by storm. Here are just a few of the most notable achievements:

●     In 1958, the Vanguard I satellite used a tiny one-watt panel to power its radios. Later that year the Vanguard II, Explorer III and Sputnik-3 were all launched with PV technology on board.

●     In 1964, NASA was responsible for launching the first Nimbus spacecraft, a satellite able to run entirely on a 470 watt solar array.

●     In 1979, President Jimmy Carter had solar panels installed on the White House during his term as president. While these were removed during Ronald Reagan’s presidency, Barack Obama reinstated the panels during his first term in office.

●     In 1981, Paul MacCready built Solar Challenger, the first aircraft to run on solar power, and flew it across the English Channel from France to the U.K.

●     In 1999, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory collaborated with SpectroLab Inc. to create a solar cell with 33.3% efficiency. The University of South Wales broke that record again in 2016 when researchers reached 34.5% efficiency.

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