Turning Light Into Electricity: The History of Solar Panels
The history of solar panels may go back further than you think.
In 1839 a nineteen year old by the name of Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel discovered the photovoltaic effect.
This effect is the physical process through which a solar cell converts sunlight into electricity.
The basis for the modern solar cell, however, can more directly be traced back to William Grylls Adams.
Back in 1876, Mr. Adams discovered that selenium generated an electric current when exposed to light.
This proved that a solid material could change light into electricity without heat or moving parts.
I assume it also gave William some bragging rights over his brother John who discovered Neptune.
Yes, that's right, the man who invented solar electricity had a brother who
discovered a planet
.
So, what has your family done lately?
The selenium solar cells were revolutionary but they were not efficient enough to power electrical equipment.
That wouldn't occur until 1953 when Bell Laboratories employee Gerald Pearson made a solar cell with silicon instead of selenium. The solar cell was finally ready to be put to work.
Unfortunately the solar cell was put to work powering toy subs and model airplanes because any major use of the technology was seen as being prohibitively expensive.
How expensive?
About $300 per watt (a power plant cost 50¢ a watt to build).
Could this be the end for our hero the solar cell? Is it doomed by its hefty price tag?
Nope.
It seems there was a little thing called the Cold War going on at the time. Satellites were the new surveillance tool in this fight but they needed a reliable power source.
Can you see where this is going?
That's right, us regular people looked at the $300 per watt cost of the solar cell and said "No thank you".
Uncle Sam just said "Where did I put my checkbook?".
This was a turning point in the history of solar panels. The technology developed under the guiding hand of the military industrial complex until, by the late 1960's, solar cells became the accepted power source for satellites.
Accessible solar electricity on earth seemed as distant as ever, however, until Dr. Elliot Berman designed a solar cell using cheaper materials in the early 70's.
This brought the price down to $20 per watt and made solar feasible in remote locations like off-shore rigs and lighthouses.
The following years saw solar power used by the Coast Guard and the railway companies. Solar panels also began to be used in the developing world for pumping water as well as powering lights, televisions, and radios.
As the price of solar cells has dropped over the years the use of solar electric panels has become feasible for more situations.
This includes buildings that are far from power lines, bus shelters, and call boxes.
More people all the time are also using solar power for their homes. The solar cell industry has increased 200 fold over the last twenty years.
As fuel prices skyrocket people's interest in solar electricity is increasing.
