Solar energy has come a long way over the years. We continue to experience a push for more sustainable, renewable energy sources, and solar power is one of the most efficient options. Our neighbors install solar panels. Businesses catch the sun on their flat rooftops. Stretches of bright open land are filled with the blinding, productive panels. It feels like a new technology \u2013 but it isn\u2019t.<\/p>\n
Interested in Solar Energy in Columbus, OH? Find out how The Eco Plumbers can help!<\/strong><\/p>\n A Brief History of Solar Energy<\/strong> In the 1870s, scientists discovered that selenium, which is a chemical element, would produce energy when exposed to the sun. This discovery resulted in the first solar panels. While the panels were not ideal for steady use, the experiments with selenium sparked the interest of other scientists. Eventually, the first solar heater was developed in 1891.<\/p>\n Solar in the 1900s<\/strong> The first commercially sold solar panel appeared in 1954. Bell Labs developed a photovoltaic (PV) cell that had enough power to convert sunlight into energy sufficient to run a whole household. The cost was well beyond the means of middle-class citizens, so there was not a rush to produce them. However, the technology was also used in novelty toys and by NASA \u2013 so the technology did not go unnoticed or unappreciated.<\/p>\n In the 1960s, solar energy was the standard means of powering NASA\u2019s satellites.<\/strong><\/p>\n During the 1970s, solar finally became a viable option for powering a house. The cost had lowered from $100 to $20 per watt. This is because the Exxon Corporation designed a panel that was less expensive to manufacture. This design was used to power warning lights on oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico. Once released to the public, solar energy increased in popularity.<\/p>\n
\nSolar in the 1800s
\nThe technology we are presently employing was actually in the works nearly 150 years ago. During the Industrial Revolution, a small group of thinkers and activists was already concerned about our emission levels. This group searched for alternative energy sources, one of which was the sun \u2013 free and almost always accessible.<\/p>\n
\nWith the outbreaks of the World Wars in the early twentieth century, interest in solar energy was set aside. The country\u2019s scientists, if not enlisting in the military, were busying themselves with matters directly related to the conflict. However, after the wars ended and a sense of normalcy was restored in the 1950s, experiments resumed.<\/p>\n