The Solar Panels History

The history of solar power is not as recent as some may think as the technology has existed since the 19th century and has received substantial government support since at least the 1970s.

The solar panels history.

A brief history of solar panels inventors have been advancing solar technology for more than a century and a half and improvements in efficiency and aesthetics keep on coming. Since the beginning of life on earth the sun has been the ultimate source of all energy. Who invented solar panels. In its most primitive state energy from the sun has been revered and put to use almost as long as man has walked the earth.

Today a solar panel can cost as little as 0 50 a watt. In 1956 solar panels cost roughly 300 per watt. 2007 the vatican announced that in order to conserve earth s resources they would be installing solar panels on some buildings in a comprehensive energy project that will pay for itself in a few years. Solar panels history benefits of solar power.

Solar cells begin to power navigation warning lights and horns on many. People have used solar power as far back in history as the 7th century b c. 2007 construction of nellis solar power plant a 15 mw ppa installation. A pv module is an assembly of photo voltaic cells mounted in a framework for installation.

Photo voltaic cells use sunlight as a source of energy and generate direct current electricity a collection of pv modules is called a pv panel and a system of panels is an array. Solar energy is actually nothing new. In just two hours more energy from the sun falls on the earth than the entire human population consumes in a year. The term solar panel is used colloquially for a photo voltaic pv module.

The first satellite to be fitted with solar panels was the vanguard 1 launched by the us in 1958. But the story is much larger than just that. We could meet all of the power needs of the united states by placing solar panels on just 11 2 million acres of land. The odeillo solar furnace located in odeillo france was constructed.

By 1975 that figure had dropped to just over 100 a watt. Elliot berman with help from exxon corporation designs a significantly less costly solar cell bringing price down from 100 a watt to 20 a watt. Despite vast amounts of subsidies solar power comprises less than 1 percent of us electricity generation 1 and should no longer be propped up by taxpayer. The benefits of solar power were quickly realised by nasa the concept of a satellite that could be self sufficient meant that geostationary communications satellites could be developed.

This featured an 8 story parabolic mirror.