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The History of Solar Power Systems

When people think of solar energy, they often marvel at how far modern science has come. However, solar power theories have been around for over 180 years.  In 1839, a French scientist named Antoine César Becquerel, discovered an interesting occurrence, called the photovoltaic effect, during an experiment he was conducting.  The photovoltaic effect involves the generating voltage in a material by exposing it to electro-magnetic radiation from sunbeams.

This discovery took place while conducting experiments with an electrolytic cell made with two metal electrodes placed within an electrolyte solution; similar to how a car battery works.  Antoine-Cesar Becquerel discovered that as the electrolytic cells were exposed to light, they produced electricity. The more light he applied, the more electricity produced.  In effect, Becquerel discovered a light activated battery.  This is known as a solar cell.  A collection of these cells configured in series or in parallel is often called a solar panel.

Close to 50 years after Becquerel’s experiments, Charles Fritts developed the world’s first solar cell using selenium coating sheets with a extremely thin slice of gold.  For the next six decades scientists and inventors continued to perform research with solar power, both with private funds and corporate assistance.  One typical inventor named Clarence Kemp from Baltimore designed, developed and later patented the first ever commercial solar energy water heater.  In 1904, Albert Einstein published a thesis on photoelectric effect and subsequently received the Nobel Prize for his discoveries.

While working for Bell Laboratories, an American inventor named Russell Ohl created and patented the first ever silicon solar cell in 1941.  Bell Laboratories continued to enhance Ohl’s invention and in 1954 released the first crystalline silicon solar panel.  At the time, these solar cells produced a new level of efficiency achieving a 4% return on overall energy generation.  In the years that followed this pioneering development, scientists throughout the world expanded upon Bell Laboratories’ advancement and rapidly developed solar cells producing 6% efficiency on overall energy conversion.

Research and development into solar power technologies expanded quickly and reached its first real usage at the start of the space age, more precisely, its use in the first space satellites.  It’s impossible to send satellites into space that rely on refueling or used on conventional batteries which would eventually become exhausted.  A new “permanent” power source was needed to let satellites to remain in orbit for extended periods without needing to be recharged.  Solar electric fit that requirement entirely.  In 1958, NASA launched the Vangaurd Spacecraft, which became the first artificial satellite to reach Earth’s orbit and the first satellite to be powered by solar energy.

This country was the foremost country to sponsor the massive research and advancement of solar cells, which in 1980, yielded 20% efficiency on overall energy conversion.  By 2000, American businesses had released almost a dozen solar cells able to produce 24% efficiency.  In 2008, Emcore Photovoltaics and Spectrolab declared that they’ve achieved new levels of energy by developing a solar cell which yielded 28% efficiency.

There is no telling where the opportunity of solar energy will take us.  As the number of applications which utilize the use of solar power, the feasibility of solar cells will improve to advance more common use.  In the near future, solar panels may generate the greater part of the electric power needed to sustain the ever increasing hunger of our modern technological societies..

Design Meets Business: Baltimore