Sunlight is an endless energy source that has fascinated humanity for a long time. Solar panels might seem to be expected in the present. However, they’re a novel method to harness renewable energy from the sun. However, solar power has been around since the beginning of time. The sun’s influence has been utilized by humans for centuries, however, in different ways than what we see today.
The first documented application of solar energy was using glass and magnifying the sun’s rays to light small flames for cooking. After that, people harnessed the sun’s power for lighting torches and illuminating Roman bathhouses. After a long period of growth, we are now able to harness the energy from solar today. We can witness the sun’s power-generating buildings and businesses through solar panels, and solar power will continue to expand and grow. In this article, we’ll go over the background of solar energy’s history from the beginning, through the development of solar panels and the expansion of solar energy, and lastly, where solar energy is headed shortly.
EARLY SOLAR ENERGY HISTORY
The first instances of solar energy can be discovered during the 7th century BC when glass was used in small cook fires. The third century was when Greeks and Romans utilized sunlight and glass for lighting torches for purposes of religion. There are also reports from China of the sun’s energy and glass for lighting fires during rituals of worship during the 20th century AD. There’s an exciting tale dating back to around the second century BC concerning solar energy. While fighting a siege in Syracuse, the great Greek scientist Archimedes concentrated sunlight through a magnifying glass, allowing it to light burning Roman ships. In the Americas, the Ancestral Puebloan peoples constructed and designed stunning homes on cliffs in the thirteenth century. These were south-facing palaces to absorb sunlight and provide heat to the complex. In the 1800s and 1700s, sunlight was used to power ovens and ships.
WHO INVENTED SOLAR PANELS?
The story of solar cells is a complex one. There is no straightforward answer as to who created this solar panel. Ultimately, various scientists and innovators augmented each other’s findings to develop the solar panel. In 1839 the French scientist by the name of Edmond Becquerel discovered the photovoltaic effect. He developed a cell composed of electrodes made of iron and found that this cell generated more energy when subjected to light. Based on this discovery, in 1873, Willoughby S. Smith realized that selenium could function as a photoconductor. In 1883, Charles Fritts created the first solar cells made of selenium based on Smith’s findings. The solar cells that were created are like the ones we have today, but nowadays, they are made using silicon rather than selenium. Then, 1954 Daryl Chapin, Calvin Fuller, and Gerald Pearson created the first silicon solar cell at Bell Labs. Together, these breakthroughs have led to the development of solar panels.
THE GROWTH OF SOLAR TECHNOLOGY
Solar technology could never gain such wide acceptance without the development and advancement of the field. One of the early advocates for solar power is Albert Einstein. In 1905, Einstein published a paper about the effect of photoelectricity and how light transports energy. The research paper earned him the Nobel Prize. Einstein’s work and discoveries have shown the world how beneficial and scientifically-based solar technology is.
Space racing was one of the most significant development areas in solar technologies. In 1956, William Cherry proposed using photovoltaic technology on satellites orbiting Earth. Two years later, Vanguard I was launched. Vanguard I used a small solar array to provide power to its radio. Sputnik-3, Vanguard II, Explorer III, and Sputnik-3 utilized silicon solar systems. It was in 1964 that NASA released the Nimbus I, which, was the very first spacecraft to be equipped with solar panel systems that could track the sun. Solar energy has powered the space industry for several years and still plays a crucial role in satellites.