Solar technology isn’t new. Humans have been trying to harness this energy into a usable source of power since ancient times. Its history spans from the seventh century B.C. to today. Thousands of years ago, harnessing the sun’s energy began by concentrating the sun’s heat with glass and mirrors to light fires. Now, we have everything from solar-powered cars to solar-powered airplanes.
As the solar industry continues to take shape throughout the world today and we are gaining increasing amounts of electrical power from the sun, it’s interesting to look back at the use of solar throughout history. Energy Information and Exploring Green Technology both provided timelines over milestone historic events around human’s efforts to extract solar energy.
Enjoy a little sunshine history below:
700 B.C. – Sunlit Fires
All the way back to the seventh century B.C., humans figured out how to make fires by concentrating the sunlight with a magnifying glass.
214–212 B.C. – Archimedes’ Heat Ray
Historians claim that Archimedes, a Greek inventor, put solar energy to use already in the third century B.C. He destroyed enemy ships with fire during the Siege of Syracuse with a “heat ray”, which supposedly was a collection of mirrors that concentrated sunlight onto the ships. Whether or not Archimedes’ invention has any root in reality is uncertain.
1767 – The First Solar Oven
A solar oven, or solar cooker, uses sunlight to heat food or drinks. Today’s solar ovens are cheap and popular solutions to prepare meals in parts of the world where access to electricity is limited. These devices are only reliant on sunlight to work – there is no fuel required.
1839 – The Discovery of the Photovoltaic Effect
1839 marks a big year in the history of solar power; Edmund Becquerel, a French physicist only 19 years old at the time, discovered that there is a creation of voltage when a material is exposed to light. Little did he know, his discovery would lay the foundation of solar power.
1873 – Photoconductivity in Selenium
Willoughby Smith, an English engineer, discovered photoconductivity in solid selenium.
1876 – Electricity from Light
Building on Smith’s discovery from three years prior, Professor William Grylls Adams and his student, Richard Evans Day, were the first to observe an electrical current produced when a material is exposed to light. They placed two electrodes onto a plate of selenium, and observed a tiny amount of electricity when the plate was exposed to light.
1883 – The First Design of a Photovoltaic Cell
An American inventor, Charles Fritts, is credited with creating the first solar cells. His simple designs in the late 19th century were based on selenium wafers.
1905 – Albert Einstein and the Photoelectric Effect
Albert Einstein is famous for a wide variety of scientific milestones, but most people are not aware of his work on the photoelectric effect. He formulated the photon theory of light, which describes how light can “liberate” electrons on a metal surface. In 1921, 16 years after he published these findings, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for the scientific breakthroughs he had discovered.
1918 – Single-Crystal Silicon
Jan Czochralski, a Polish scientist, invented a method known as the Czochralski process to grow single-crystal silicon. His discoveries laid the foundation for solar cells based on silicon.
1954 – The Birth of Photovoltaics
David Chapin, Calvin Fuller and Gerald Pearson of Bell Labs are credited with the world’s first photovoltaic (solar) cell. In other words, these are the men that made the first device that converted sunlight into electrical power. They later pushed the conversion efficiency from 4 percent to 11 percent.
1958 – Solar Energy In Space
Solar power was used to power space exploration equipment such as satellites and space stations. This was the first commercial use of solar energy.
1959-1970 – Efficiency of Solar Cells and Cost
Between 1959 and 1970 there was major discussion about the efficiency of solar cells and reduction of costs. Up to that time, the efficiency of the solar cells was only 14 percent and was not comparable to the high cost of producing cells. In the 1970’s, however, Exxon Corporation designed an efficient solar panel, which was less costly to manufacture.
1977 – Governments Embrace Solar Energy
In 1977, the U.S. government embraced the use of solar energy by launching the Solar Energy Research Institute. Other governments across the world soon followed.
1981 – Solar Powered Aircraft
In 1981, Paul Macready produced the first solar powered aircraft. The aircraft used more than 1600 cells, placed on its wings. The aircraft flew from France to England.
1982 – Solar Powered Cars
In the year 1982, the first solar powered cars were developed in Australia.
1986-1999 Solar Power Plants
Large-scale solar energy plants were evolving, with advancements being made in each phase. By the year 1999, the largest plant was developed; it produced more than 20 kilowatts.
1999 – Breakthroughs in Solar Cell Efficiency
The most efficient solar cell was developed, with a photovoltaic efficiency of 36 percent.
Solar Power Today
Solar has experienced many spikes in interest and advancement over the past few centuries. Solar photovoltaic panels (also known as “solar electric” or “solar PV”) are a simple “plug and play” application that are increasingly favored by governments, businesses, and homeowners.
Solar Engineering with KMB
You can see solar cells are almost everywhere. Solar power is quickly becoming a cost effective, alternative source of electricity for all sizes of businesses. KMB Design Group is at the forefront of the escalating solar industry, and is considered a leading consulting firm in the renewable energy field, providing photovoltaic design and engineering services. Licensed in 49 states, we have the ability to work nationally without limitations.