The history of solar power goes back a heap farther than one might assume, and has knowledgeable some surprising changes in recent times which are making solar energy nowadays a lot of reasonable and nearer to mainstream development.
Several individuals suppose solar power is a new technology, however the history of solar power goes all the method back to the times of Ancient Greeks and Romans. Even in these times of yore, people understood the ability of the sun and used it to assist them in their daily lives.
Homes were built facing the sun at just the proper angle to cut back the amount of wood needed to heat the home. Wood was a rare commodity every now and then so the warmth from the sun was harnessed to form up for the lack of wood.
Whereas ancient history is full of solar uses, it was not till the 1900s that scientists actually started embarking on the analysis that leads to nowadays’s solar power generation.
Auguste Mouchout understood the requirement for alternative energy throughout the Industrial Revolution. When individuals were using fossil fuels to heat their homes and produce electricity, he understood the long-term result of this overuse. When nobody listened, he chose to investigate further and was successful in creating the first known solar motor. By 1861, he had conjointly invented a steam engine that ran fully on the sun’s power, but the cost of the machine led to its failure.
Throughout the latter years of the 1800s, European scientists continued to work with solar energy and replicate on its potential real life uses if the power assortment were to be perfected.
The primary huge step in the history of solar power that moved us towards the solar revolution occurred in 1921. Albert Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize that year for his analysis in what would later be referred to as photovoltaic cells. His physics research on the photoelectric result was the cornerstone to the creation of the identical solar cells used today.
By 1953, Bell Laboratories designed the first solar cell. The cell, created by 3 scientists, created electrical current that was measurable – a large feat at the time. The solar cells cost about $300 a watt to come up with electricity from the sun (these days that amount is about $five a watt thanks to technological advances).
During the Fifties and Sixties, NASA was in the center of the race to area that furthered solar energy analysis even more. Satellites and spacecraft used the ability of the sun to form electricity, however the technology remained too expensive for anyone however the government to use. The tables were turned, but, when the primary source of energy, oil, was pulled out from under the United States as a reasonable fuel source.
In 1973, an oil embargo caused the price of oil to double in 24 hours. In an exceedingly panic, government officials quickly probe for another energy source and the event of Bell Laboratories in 1953 came to mind. The government invested large amounts of cash into the design and the power of the sun was soon realized.
The Future History of Solar Power
The future is brighter than ever before for solar energy. The price of solar cells is dropping and smaller units are now quite reasonable for anyone and everybody to buy. Keychain units will be purchased for less than $20 USD and have the ability to charge a cellular phone in less than 24 hours. Whereas this could seem sort of a while, the solar cells are often regarding one in. by one in. in size.
Solar powered cars, solar energy collecting windows, and building materials are not far from mainstream development. The sun is a renewable supply of energy which will give a lot of power than any fossil fuel on the planet.
Learn more about earth 4 energy review. In order to save energy you should know about power 4 home. Click here for more information about power 4 home review.
