Sol-PV Distributors | History of Solar Power

Sol-PV Distributors | History of Solar Power

In modern times, photovoltaic energy (otherwise known as solar energy) has found applications around the globe. From powering irrigation and drinking water pumps throughout India to supplying a charge to portable electronics, the field has become one of the fastest growing in the energy industry. But, how did it all start?

Solar Power in Ancient Rome

During the reign of the Roman empire, people began to realize the great potential of the Sun, and became among the first civilization to take advantage of what we now call "passive solar" energy. This is, in a nutshell, the practice of locating and designing architecture specifically to capture the heat and light of the Sun. Buildings would often have their south-facing walls with a good heat conductor, such as glass. This is one of the basic principles of solar heating; in cold weather, heat from the Sun would be trapped more efficiently inside the building.

Early Developments

In 1861, a man in France named Auguste Mouchot became what may have been the world's first green energy advocate. Understanding the inherent limitations in the amount of fossil fuels available globally, he developed a steam engine that could run entirely on solar energy. Unfortunately, the machine was very expensive. At the same time, the price of coal was dropping, and the solar engine never gained widespread recognition.

The idea itself, though, lost little ground. The possibility of harnessing the power of the Sun continued to capture the attention of scientists worldwide. Ideas such as the parabolic trough, still used today, arose from the early work of these scientists.

From Then to Now

In 1921, Albert Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize in physics for his work pertaining to the photoelectric effect, which forms the basic principles of solar-generated electricity. Over 30 years later, scientists working at Bell Laboratories were able to create the worlds first silicon solar cell that was able to generate a measurable amount of electricity. At the time, the technology was too expensive for any practical purpose, though it gained some small ground when solar panels were used for electricity aboard space shuttles during the Space Race.

Solar technology was once again brought to light during the oil shortage of the 1970s, when researchers hoped to develop cheaper and more viable solar panels. The following two decades did indeed see lowered costs, though widespread use was not common, as the price of oil dropped once again.

From the mid to late 90s until today, photovoltaic energy has had a resurgence. With the green energy movement and another rise in energy costs globally, the field has gained sure footing that promises to continue. The industry now grows at the astonishing rate of about 30% per year, and new developments are being made every day.