You know that saying, “there’s nothing new under the sun?” Well, it’s true for solar energy too. Although the modern photovoltaic movement began over 165 years ago, the history of solar power actually began thousands of years earlier.
Early Solar Energy History
The Ancient Greeks, who already worshiped the sun, built their homes to maximize it too. Using basic passive solar design techniques, Greek homes stayed naturally cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The Ancient Romans also valued the sun—so much, in fact, that in the 6th century CE Emperor Justinian granted “sun rights” to ensure his citizens access to sunrooms and homes were built to make use of light and heat from the sun. Similarly, the Ancient Chinese oriented their homes towards the south to provide light and warmth. Across the Atlantic Ocean, the Anasazi Indians were building southerly-facing cliff dwellings to heat their homes.
These passive solar design techniques have fallen into disuse in modern America, but are regaining popularity in the twenty-first century.
Modern Solar Energy History
In 1839, 19-year-old French physicist Edmund Becquerel changed solar energy history forever when he discovered the photovoltaic effect—that some special materials produced an electric current when exposed to sunlight. This finding started a whirlwind of activity around the globe, with scientists discovering photoconductivity in selenium, copper, and cadmium. Einstein contributed in 1905, writing a paper explaining the photovoltaic effect and winning a Nobel Prize for it in 1922. Still, solar power history at this point was confined to research.
Commercial Solar Energy History
The breakthrough came in 1954, when Bell Laboratories created the first high-power silicon photovoltaic cell. Although only 4.5% efficient, it was a big event in solar energy history, with the New York Times calling it “the beginning of a new era, leading eventually to the realization of harnessing the almost limitless energy of the sun for the uses of civilization.” Bell Laboratories licensed the technology to other companies, and by 1960, one called Western Electric had increased its efficiency to 14%. Although used primarily by NASA to power satellites, photovoltaic cells began making their way into consumer electronics and homes.
The US government became serious about solar on October 17, 1973, when the Arab Oil Embargo doubled fuel prices almost overnight. With new government funding to help offset western oil dependence, the cost of photovoltaics dropped 80%. Unfortunately, oil prices eventually did too, and the U.S. government reduced its support for alternative energies, leaving many advocates discouraged.
To help increase adoption, Germany launched an unprecedented $500 million “100,000 Solar Roofs” program in 1990. Japan followed suit four years later in 1994, launching its own “70,000 Solar Roofs” campaign. And after funding two smaller rebate programs in 1998 and 2002, California launched the biggest program yet in solar energy history: a $3.3 Billion, Million Solar Roofs Program in 2007.
With this and other help, the market continues to grow by a staggering 50% in California. There’s never been a better time to buy solar, and with the creation of Renewzle’s solar comparison shopping site in 2008, finding the right installer has never been easier. Get started today!
