Solar panels: the origin
Where do solar panels come from?
When we think of solar energy in the 21st century, we think of smart systems powering our homes. đ Thanks to sunlight and solar panels. While solar panel technology is relatively new, dating back about fifty years. The use of solar energy to support people's livelihoods began several centuries ago. In this article, we explain everything about the origin of solar panels.
Our history with the sun is very ancient and fascinating. It dates back to the 7th century BC. Societies, throughout time, have used the energy of the sun . In clever ways to make their lives easier, from the discovery of fire to the commercialization of solar energy and its domestic use in today's world. đ
Solar energy, which we know better as renewable energy, is driving some of the biggest changes in our lifestyles today. In this article, we will summarize the history and evolution of solar energy from the 16th century to today.
The first uses of solar energy
The first uses of the sun were to harnessing solar energy as a source of heat . The ancient Egyptians designed their buildings to maximize the entry of light and heat.
As early as the 3rd century BC, the Greeks and Romans used sunlight to create torches . These were particularly useful useful for sacred and religious ceremonies.
16th and 17th centuries: Development the first solar cells
At 16th century , the first solar cell is designed by Swiss scientist Horace Benedict. Seventy-two years later, new innovations and advancements have allowed the evolution of solar energy.
At just 19 years old, Scientist François Edmond Becqurel discovers the photovoltaic effect . An electric voltage and current can be generated in materials when they are exposed to light.đŻ
In 1870 , a new milestone was reached with the discovery that light could be transformed into electricity without heat.
In the 1890s, the first commercial solar heat pump was patented.
At the end of the 17th century , American inventor Charles Fritz created the first working selenium solar cell (today, silicon is used in the manufacture of solar panel cells).
It was therefore the experimental discoveries of various inventors and scientists that led to the creation of the modern photovoltaic solar panel .
Early 20th century: the modernization of solar energy
1905 is the year that the young Albert Einstein (26 years old at the time) published his work entitled âOn a Heuristic Viewpoint Concerning the Production and Transformation of Lightâ. He studied what would become known as photoelectric effect . In 1917 Einstein gives a theoretical basis to photovoltaics by introducing the notion that lights, as packets, carry electromagnetic force .
In 1954 , Bell Laboratories scientists develop the first practical photovoltaic cell.
In the mid-1900s 1950 , takes place the first phone call to solar energy . Illustrating the development and reliability of solar energy.âïž
A year later, in 1956 , the first radio đ»Â solar-powered is presented by General Electric. It could operate day and night. A few years later, the United States experimented the application of photovoltaic cells on satellites orbiting the Earth . Since then, Solar energy is the recognized energy source for space applications !
In 1958 , a spaceship called Vanguard I is the first to be powered by solar panels . đ°
In London, in 1960 , is presented the first solar car , with a roof equipped with solar panels and a 72-volt battery.
In 1982 , the first large-scale solar farm is built near Hesperia, California.
THE solar energy development has continued throughout the years 1990 , and world economies began to increase their share renewable energy (especially wind energy and solar photovoltaic energy).
The 2000s: Solar energy goes commercial
From the years 2000 , Solar energy begins to become accessible to all . The renewable energy sector is booming: the following decade sees revolutionary advances in the expansion of solar photovoltaic technologies and their large-scale installations.
Renewable energy decrees are now being set across the European Union. We are witnessing the development of a competitive internal energy market, where renewable energies play a crucial role.
Between the years 2000 and 2010 , the capacity added to the renewable energy sector is greater than that of any other mode of production, a trend that continues today!
In 2012 , the European Photovoltaic Industry Association stated that âthe solar PV industry has installed more than 30 gigawatts worldwide,â bringing the total global installation figure to more than 100 gigawatts.
Solar panels are becoming more efficient, more convenient and more accessible for home and business owners. In 2018, the UK generated 3.9% of its total electricity from solar power. 2019 saw The first offshore floating solar farm to be installed in the Dutch North Sea.
In In 2020 , it was cheaper to build a new solar power plant than to continue operating an existing coal-fired power plant. This shows the extent of the possibilities of solar energy.
In 2020 , the International Energy Agency declared that âsolar is the new king of electricity marketsâ.
Finally, in 2021 and 2022 , renewable energies represent 90% of new electricity generation capacity installed worldwide.
To learn more about how a solar system works, we invite you to take a look at our blog post . đ
Today: Solar energy goes global
Today, we continue to see the expansion and use of solar-powered devices, infrastructure and transportation. Investments in solar parks and farms (small and large) continue around the world.
The historic advances in solar energy make this renewable energy source essential. The future of solar energy worldwide is bright! At Oscaro Power , our goal is to accelerate the global movement in offering solar energy accessible to all !
