Taking a Look Back at The History of Solar Energy

The use of solar energy goes back to ancient civilizations thousands of years ago. Although no one knows exactly who the first person was to harness the sun’s energy, some historians believe that it occurred around 10,000 years ago. During this time, European civilizations used mirrors to magnify and reflect the sun’s light to produce fire. This certainly isn’t as high-tech as modern-day solar panels, but it did allow civilizations to produce fire by using two basic resources — a mirror and the sun.

Once it was discovered that fire could be produced using only a mirror and the sun, the word spread and more civilizations began harnesses the sun’s energy for this purpose. Not long after, China, Japan and other Asian countries were also using mirrors to produce fire out of the sun’s rays.

Solar Panel Technology

The first steps towards solar panels didn’t occur until a French physicist named Edmund Becquerel began experimenting with solar energy used with various materials. In 1839, Becquerel created the world’s first photovoltaic device at the age of 19. He found that certain materials had a greater conductivity when exposed to sunlight; therefore, energy could be produced it the circumstances were right.

Several other scientists followed in the pursuit of solar energy and technology after Becquerel. In 1873, electrical engineer Willoughby Smith discovered that selenium was conductive when exposed to light. Unfortunately, however, large amounts of light caused it to be less effective, which ultimately resulted in a dead end with Smith’s research.

One scientist that contributed greatly to the technological advancements with solar energy is Albert Einstein. Along with his all-too-popular theory of relativity, he also wrote several papers on the photovoltaic effect. The papers were published during 1905, but it wasn’t until 1921 when Einstein won a Nobel Prize for his theories on the photoelectric effect.

With solar technology being revealed and explained as a result of the world’s most brilliant scientists, Bell Telephone Laboratories was able to create the first successful photovoltaic device in 1954. Not only did their device capture and conduct solar energy produced by the sun, but it was able to transform it into read-to-use energy, which is something that no other device had accomplished up until now. Essentially, this was the world’s first solar cell the world had ever seen, and it would change the way we approach energy for decades to come.

Later Uses of Solar Cells

You might be surprised to hear that some of the first major uses of solar cells and technology was on satellites and space shuttles. In 1958, the Vanguard I was launched into space and featured an array of solar cells used to power its communication radios. Even though it wasn’t all that powerful, it did provide the satellite with extra energy at no additional weight or cost. As a result of their initial success, NASA and other space exploration institutes continued to use solar cell technology to supplement the power of their satellites and space shuttles.

Throughout the 70s, countries were in turmoil over oil embargoes and the threat of energy production being shut down. This was the first time that governments really felt the need to look into alternative energy sources. In 1977, the Solar Energy Research Institute was launched in an effort to continue the development and use of solar energy.

Over the years, greater technological advancements led to more powerful solar cells capable of producing a greater amount of energy. Today, the use of solar energy is practically everywhere we look. It’s used to power handheld calculators, flashlights, radios, street construction signs, lamps, heaters, air conditioners, entire homes and even airplanes. Some countries have also invested into producing their own solar power plants, which is a huge step in the shift from crude oil to renewable energy.