The year that Solar Energy was invented?
When Solar Energy was invented?
The story of solar energy began in 1954 with just a few small steps, led by inventors and scientists. In the 20th century{,|| it was the time that} the defense and space industries realized the benefits of solar energy. At the time it was a promising, but still expensive, alternative to fossil fuels. The industry has matured and is becoming a viable and cost-effective technology that is rapidly replacing oil, coal, or natural gas within the current energy market. This timeline highlights the most important pioneers and events that led to the development of solar technology.
The Age of Discovery (19th-20th century)
The 19th century was the beginning of physics thanks to discoveries in the fields of electricity, magnetism and the study of light. The work of scientists and engineers laid the groundwork for the entire history in the field of solar energy.
1839: A 19-year-old Frenchman Alexandre-Edmond Bécquerel designs one of the first solar cells to be built anywhere in the world.1 His studies on electricity and light inspired the development of photovoltaics in the following years. The European Photovoltaic Sun Energy Conference and Exhibition gives out the Becquerel prize each year.
1861 Auguste (or Augustin) Mathematician and physicist, patents a solar motor.
1873: Willoughby Smith an electrical engineer, discovers photovoltaic effects in selenium.
1876 W. G. Adams (professor of Natural Philosophy, King’s College London) discovers that the electrical resistance of selenium is subject to radiation light, heat or chemical action. “2
1882. Abel Pifre creates a “solar engine” which produces enough electricity for his solar printing press. (pictured below)
The year is 1883. Charles Fritts, an inventor, develops the first solar cells made of selenium and gold. It converts solar radiation to electricity at a mere one percent efficiency.
1883: John Ericsson, an inventor, develops a sun motor that uses parabolic tube construction (PTC), to concentrate sunlight to generate boiler steam. PTC is still utilized in solar thermal power plants.
1884: Charles Fritts places solar panels on a New York City rooftop.
1903: Aubrey Eneas, a Pasadena-based businessman, establishes The Solar Motor Company to market solar-driven steam engines for irrigation projects. The company soon fails.
1912-1913: Frank Shuman, an engineer at the Sun Power Company, uses PTC to build the world’s first solar-powered power station in the world.
The Age of Understanding Solar Panels (late-19th-early-20th centuries)
Theoretical physics of the present has helped to create a better understanding of photovoltaic electricity. Quantum Physics’ description of the subatomic worlds of electrons and photons reveals the mechanism by which light particles can disrupt electrons within silicon crystals to create electric currents.
1888: Wilhelm Hallwachs, a scientist, describes the physics of photovoltaic cells. This is what we now refer to as”the” Hallwachs Effect.
1905: Albert Einstein publishes, “On a Heuristic Viewpoint Concerning the Production and Transformation of Light,” which explains how light creates an electrical current through knocking electrons away from specific metal atoms.
1916: Jan Czochralski, a chemical engineer, discovers a way to create single crystals using metal. This is the principle behind making semiconductor wafers that are still used in electronic devices and solar cells.
1917: Albert Einstein provides a theoretic basis for photovoltaics. Einstein explains that light is an electromagnetic force-carrying packet.
1929 Gilbert Lewis, a scientist and physicist, invented”photons”, a term coined by physicist Gilbert Lewis “photons” to refer to the electromagnetic energy of Einstein’s packets.
Age of Solar Technology Development (mid-20th Century)
The lab does not serve as the best place for serious research on the advancement technologies for solar power, based on the invention by monocrystalline silicon cell. It’s similar to other technologies. It was created from studies conducted by the U.S. defense and aerospace industries. The first application that has been successful of the technology is the space-based exploration satellite. Although solar energy is extremely efficient, most of its technology is not commercially available.
1941 Russell Ohl, a Bell Laboratories engineer, files a patent application for the first monocrystalline silicon-based solar cell.
1947: Post-war energy shortage has made passive solar homes popular.
1951: First solar cells made from germanium are made.
1954 the first solar solar panel made of silicon was manufactured through Bell Laboratories. These cells, while weaker than current cells, can nevertheless produce substantial quantities of electricity, at around 4 percent efficiency.
1955 First phone call powered by solar made.
1956: The first solar-powered radio was launched by General Electric. It can be used in dark and daylight.
1958: Vanguard I, the first spacecraft powered by solar power, is launched.
1960. Car fitted by a roof made of solar panels and powered by a battery of 72 volts. It was driven through London, England.
The year 1961 was the Year of the Conference arranged by the United Nations on solar energy for the poorest of nations.
1962 Telstar is the world’s first satellite powered by solar energy, has 3,600 cells manufactured at Bell Laboratories.
1967: Soviet Union’s Soyuz 1 is the first spacecraft powered by solar power to carry people.
1972 1972: The Synchronar 2100 solar-powered watch goes for sale.
The Age of Solar Power Growth (late-20th century)
First commercializations in solar technologies were brought on due to the crisis in energy in the 1970s. Low oil prices and low economic growth the result of a shortage of petroleum in industrialized nations. The U.S. government provides financial incentives to commercial and residential solar systems as well as research and development institutes and demonstration projects that utilize solar energy in government buildings as well as regulatory structures that support the current solar industry. Solar panels are now cheaper than ever before, ranging from $1,865 for a watt in 1956, to $106 per watt in 1976 (prices adjusted for the year 2019 dollars).
1973: A crude oil embargo put in place by Arab countries pushes oil prices up by 300 percent
1973: Solar One is built by the University of Delaware, which was the first building that is entirely powered with solar energy.
1974 1974: The Solar Heating and Cooling Demonstration Act allows for the utilization of solar energy in federal structures.
1974: To predict and analyze the energy market, The International Energy Agency was established.
1974: U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration was established to promote the commercialization and advancement for solar power.
1974 The Solar Energy Industries Association is formed to represent the needs and requirements in the industry of solar.
1977: Congress establishes the Solar Energy Research Institute. It’s now called”The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
1977 In 1977, photovoltaic cells are manufactured in excess of 500 kW across the globe.
1977: The establishment of the U.S. Department of Energy.
1978{:|| 1977:} 1978: The Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA), that established net metering requires utilities to purchase energy via “qualifying institutions” that meet certain standards for energy source and efficiency.
1978 1978: the Energy Tax Act created the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) as well as the Residential Energy Credit in order to encourage the purchase of solar panels.
1979: Exports of oil coming from Iran and the Middle East are interrupted by the Iranian Revolution, which forces oil prices to go up.
1979: U.S. President Jimmy Carter installs solar panels in the White House roof. These panels were later removed by the president Ronald Reagan.
1981: The first concentrated PV system goes into operation, funded by the United States of America and Saudi Arabia.
1981: 1981: The Solar Challenger is the first solar-powered aircraft capable of flying over vast distances.
1981: The U.S. Department of Energy completes Solar One, a pilot project for renewable energy from solar located in the Mojave Desert, near Barstow.
1982: Construction of the first large-scale solar power plant near Hesperia located in California.
1982 1982: The Sacramento Municipal Utility District appointed its first solar power plant.
1985: Cells of silicon with a 20% efficiency were created in the University of New South Wales in Australia’s Center for Photovoltaic Engineering.
1985: Development of lithium-ion batteries that could later be used to store renewable energy.
1991 Commercial production of the first lithium-ion battery.
1992: Congress makes the Investment Tax Credit permanent.
2000: Germany establishes a feed in tariff program that will help boost production of solar panels.
Age of Solar Cells Maturity (21st Century)
The solar energy system is complicated but reliable technology that has been embraced by the government to ensure it is the most affordable source of energy in history. The reason for its success is the S-curve. This means that while initial growth in a technology is slow, driven by only the early adopters, it sees rapid growth when economies expand allows production costs to drop and supply chains to expand. In the year 2019, solar modules were at $106/watt, however they are currently $0.38/watt. 89% of this decrease has occurred since 2010.
2001: Home Depot starts selling residential solar power systems.
2001: Suntech Power, a Chinese company founded in China and then becomes a global leader in solar technology.
2006: California Public Utilities Commission approves California Solar Initiative, which gives incentives to solar development.
2008: NREL records a brand new world record in solar cell efficiency with 40.8%.
2009: Inauguration of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
2009 The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act includes $90 billion to clean energy investments as well as tax incentives. It also includes loans with guarantees and subsidies.
2009. China introduces tariffs on feed-ins in order to promote growth in the renewable energy industry.
2010 Obama: Former Obama was President. Obama put up solar panels as well as the solar water heater inside the White House.
2011: Solyndra collapse, and investment fiasco slows down solar industry expansion
2013 The world’s largest 100 solar PV installations exceed 100 gigawatts.
2015. Tesla announces its lithium-ion Powerwall Battery Pack to enable rooftop solar users to keep their electric power.
The year 2015 is a record-breaking one: China exceeds Germany to be the top nation in the world in solar capacity for the solar system.
2015. Google Introduces Project Sunroof To Help Homeowners Evaluate the possibility roof solar.
2016 1 million solar installations across the United States.
2016: Solar Impulse 2 makes the first non-emissions flight around the globe.
2016, Las Vegas (Nevada) is now the largest American city government to run completely on renewable energy. It includes solar panel and trees in the city’s City Hall.
2017: In the United States, solar energy employs more people than any other industry that relies on fossil fuels.
2019 The first floating solar farm off the coast of the Dutch North Sea.
2020: The construction of a new solar power plant will be less expensive than operating an existing coal power plant.
2020 California is requiring all newly built homes have solar panels by 2020.
2020: According to the International Energy Agency, “Solar is now the king of the market for electricity.”
2021 Apple, Inc. announced that it would be developing the biggest lithium-ion battery on the planet that generates electricity from its California solar farm that is 250 megawatts.
