The first recorded application of solar energy was to use glass and magnifying sun’s rays to light small fires to cook. After that, harnessing the sun’s power to light torches and illuminating Roman bathhouses was possible. After centuries of advancement, we now have modern-day solar energy. Nowadays, we observe the sun’s energy-generating homes and businesses in the shape of solar panels, and solar is expected to expand and grow. The article looks at a brief background on solar energy, beginning with the first forms and development of solar panel systems, the development of solar energy, and lastly, where solar energy will go shortly.
EARLY SOLAR ENERGY HISTORY
The earliest examples that harness solar power can be discovered around the 7th century BC,e time when glass was used in small cook fires. In the 3rd century, Greeks or Romans utilized sunlight and glass to light torches to serve reasons of worship. There is also evidence from China of glass and solar energy to light fires in celebrations for religious purposes in the 20th century AD. There’s a fascinating story dating back to around the second century BC regarding solar energy. Amid a siege on Syracuse in the second century BC, Greek scientist Archimedes focused the sun’s light through a magnifying lens to set Roman ships to blaze. In the Americas, Ancestral Puebloan peoples in the thirteenth century crafted and built stunning homes on cliffs. These were south-facing palaces to absorb sunlight and warm the area. In the 1800s and 1700s, sunlight was used to power ovens and ships.
WHO INVENTED SOLAR PANELS?
The story of solar panel technology is complex, and there isn’t an easy answer as to who was the first to develop the idea of a solar panel. Various researchers and innovators ultimately augmented their discoveries and created the solar panel. In 1839 the French scientist named Edmond Becquerel discovered the photovoltaic effect. He developed a cell composed of electrodes made of iron and found it generated more energy when subjected to light. In 1873, Willoughby’s Smith found that selenium could be a photoconductor. In 1883, Charles Fritts created the first solar cells made of selenium, based on Smith’s findings. The solar cells produced are similar to the ones we have today, but we build them from silicon instead of selenium. In 1954 Daryl Chapin, Calvin Fuller, and Gerald Pearson created the first silicon solar cell at Bell Labs. All of these inventions have helped in the creation of solar panels.
THE GROWTH OF SOLAR TECHNOLOGY
Solar technology could never gain such aid acceptance were it not for the expansion and development of the field. One of the early solar energy advocates is Albert Einstein. In 1905, he released an article on the effect of photoelectricity and how light transports energy. The paper was later awarded the Nobel Prize. Einstein’s work and discoveries have shown the world how beneficial and scientifically advanced solar technology can be.
The space race was one of the most significant areas of solar energy development. In 1956, William Cherry proposed using photovoltaic technology to power satellites orbiting the Earth. Just two years later, Vanguard I was launched. Vanguard I used a small solar array to charge its radio. Sputnik-3, Vanguard II, Explorer III and Sputnik-3 made use of silicon solar panels. It was in 1964 that NASA created the Nimbus I, the first satellite with solar cells that could track the sun. Solar energy-powered has advanced in space for many years and still plays a crucial role in satellites.