{"id":5770,"date":"2019-08-29T22:56:58","date_gmt":"2019-08-29T22:56:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/?p=5770"},"modified":"2021-03-16T12:52:59","modified_gmt":"2021-03-16T12:52:59","slug":"history-of-solar-panels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/history-of-solar-panels\/","title":{"rendered":"The History of Solar Panels"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"5770\" class=\"elementor elementor-5770\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3ab12e2 lead-section elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3ab12e2\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6063e86\" data-id=\"6063e86\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b1fce5d article-title elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b1fce5d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">History of Solar Panels<\/h1>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-1d4a3f9 toc-and-author-bio-section elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"1d4a3f9\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-34725b3 left-column\" data-id=\"34725b3\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-560e78f table-of-contents elementor-widget elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"560e78f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\"><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_55 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Page Contents<\/p>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/history-of-solar-panels\/#Who-Invented-Solar-Panels\" title=\"Who Invented Solar Panels?\">Who Invented Solar Panels?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/history-of-solar-panels\/#When-Were-Solar-Panels-Invented\" title=\"When Were Solar Panels Invented?\">When Were Solar Panels Invented?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/history-of-solar-panels\/#When-Was-Solar-Energy-First-Used\" title=\"When Was Solar Energy First Used?\">When Was Solar Energy First Used?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/history-of-solar-panels\/#Development-of-Solar-Panels-Over-Time\" title=\"Development of Solar Panels Over Time\">Development of Solar Panels Over Time<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-e0c73b0 right-column\" data-id=\"e0c73b0\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-328f370 author-bio elementor-widget elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"328f370\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\"><script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t{\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\/\",\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t  \"@type\": \"Person\",\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t  \"name\": \"Aniket\",\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t  \"url\": \"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/author\/aniket\/\",\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t  \"image\": \"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/324fd7f9d0b3e667f7223919e56f046a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t  \"jobTitle\": \"Author\"  \n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t}\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/script><p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"author-bio-avatar\" src=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/324fd7f9d0b3e667f7223919e56f046a?s=50&amp;d=mm&amp;r=g\" alt=\"Aniket\" width=\"50\" height=\"50\" \/><\/p><p class=\"author-bio-text\"><span class=\"written-by-text\">Written by<\/span> <span class=\"job-title\">qualified solar engineer<\/span> <span class=\"author-name\">Aniket<\/span><span class=\"written-by-period\">.<\/span> <span class=\"last-updated-text\">Last updated:<\/span> <time datetime=\"2021-03-16 12:52:59\">March 16, 2021<\/time><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-4caed31 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"4caed31\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b3770e9\" data-id=\"b3770e9\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5ff3f74 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5ff3f74\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The history of solar panels can be described by Becquerel\u2019s discovery of photovoltaic effect, or the invention of first solar cell by Chapin, Fuller and Pearson in Bell Labs. But the story is much larger than just that. Since the beginning of life on Earth, the Sun has been the ultimate source of all energy. All the living creatures and the fossils trace their involuntary harnessing of energy back to the consistent and reliable showering of sunshine.<\/p>\n<p>The remarkable portion, however, began when humans started harnessing this energy to convert into other forms and use it in a more versatile manner. We are at a point in time where we have started looking forward to a world powered almost entirely out of solar. It thus becomes interesting to understand <a href=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/how-do-solar-panels-work\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the way solar panels work<\/a>, and even look back upon its history.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Who-Invented-Solar-Panels\"><\/span>Who Invented Solar Panels?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The solar technology has steadily evolved and continues evolving even today. Therefore, the credit for the invention of the modern solar panel cannot go to a single individual\/entity.<\/p>\n<p>It all started in 1839 with 19-year-old physicist named Edmond Becquerel. While working on the coating of platinum electrodes using silver chloride, he discovered a rise in voltage on exposure to light. This effect was named as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pveducation.org\/pvcdrom\/solar-cell-operation\/the-photovoltaic-effect\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">photovoltaic effect<\/a>. At that point, nobody would have predicted that it would become the basis for the predicted largest power generation method in the next 200 years.<\/p>\n<p>Almost two decades later, another French inventor named Augustin Mouchot farsightedly realized that coal would eventually run out. Although his invention was a solar steam engine and not a solar panel, it was an important chapter in the history of solar devices. It even got Mouchot the title of \u2018Laur\u00e9at de l&#8217;Institut\u2019 by the Institut de France.<\/p>\n<p>Two more decades passed, and in 1883, the first proper photovoltaic cell was devised by Charles Fritts, made from Selenium and having an efficiency of just 1%.<\/p>\n<p>A few years later, Russian scientist Alexander Stoletov, regarded as the founder of electrical engineering, started studying the outer photoelectric effect discovered by Hertz. While expanding the research, he also built a solar cell on the same principle, and even discovered the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nrel.gov\/docs\/fy12osti\/51664.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">sensitivity decrease<\/a> (fatigue) of solar cells over time.<\/p>\n<p>In the same year, Edward Weston filed a patent for current generating thermopiles using magnifying lens to concentrate sunlight. Within six years, Melvin Severy, the author, musician, engineer and inventor, also filed patents related to thermopiles.<\/p>\n<p>The beginning of 20<sup>th<\/sup> century saw Albert Einstein publish a paper on photoelectric effect (1905AD). It even won him a Nobel Prize for the same, 16 years later,\u00a0 while arousing some popular interest in solar panel information.<\/p>\n<p>The mid twentieth century marks a very important era of developments in solar panels. In \u00a0 American engineer Russell Ohl made the groundbreaking discovery of the P-N junction. P-N junctions are used in almost every complex electronic device today. He also invented the first modern cell operating using the P-N junction. Today\u2019s PV cell is a lot similar to Ohl\u2019s cell.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-11.webp 250w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-11-1x1.webp 1w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img src=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-11.png\" height=\"315\" width=\"350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-11.png 250w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-11-1x1.png 1w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5772 sp-no-webp\" alt=\"old photograph of american engineer Russell Ohl\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  > <\/picture><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">(Russell Ohl, source \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.computerhistory.org\/siliconengine\/discovery-of-the-p-n-junction\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Solar Power Utah<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Daryl Chapin, Gerald Pearson, and Calvin Fuller of Bell Laboratories, \u00a0 publicly demonstrated the first photovoltaic cell. It powered a toy Ferris wheel and a radio transmitter.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-12.webp 290w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-12-1x1.webp 1w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img src=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-12.png\" height=\"296\" width=\"350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-12.png 290w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-12-1x1.png 1w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5773 sp-no-webp\" alt=\"old photograph of Daryl Chapin, Gerald Pearson, and Calvin Fuller of Bell Laboratories\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  > <\/picture><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">(The Bell Labs Team, source \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greentechmedia.com\/articles\/read\/happy-60th-anniversary-to-the-modern-solar-cell\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Greentech Media<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When-Were-Solar-Panels-Invented\"><\/span>When Were Solar Panels Invented?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As discussed before, crediting a single person or a single point in time with the invention of solar panels would be unfair.<\/p>\n<p>To build a clear picture of the timeline of development of solar panels, we can divide it into three main parts. Here, we will look at the amount of development in the 19<sup>th<\/sup>, 20<sup>th<\/sup> and the ongoing 21<sup>st<\/sup> century.<\/p>\n<h3>The 19th Century<\/h3>\n<p>The 19<sup>th<\/sup> century saw scientists stumbling upon the ability of the sun\u2019s light\/heat to generate other kinds of energy. By the end of this century, physicists built simple devices that harnessed the sun\u2019s energy to generate power, albeit with poor efficiencies.<\/p>\n<p>This, however, paved the way for more advanced technologies that followed in the coming centuries. Some examples are Augustin Mouchot\u2019s 1860\u2019s solar engines, as mentioned previously.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-13.webp 203w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-13-1x1.webp 1w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img src=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-13.png\" height=\"250\" width=\"350\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-13.png 203w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-13-1x1.png 1w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 350px) 100vw, 350px\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5774 sp-no-webp\" alt=\"old photograph of Augustin Mouchot\u2019s solar engine\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  > <\/picture><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">(Augustin Mouchot\u2019s Solar Engine, Source &#8211; <a href=\"http:\/\/academie-de-touraine.com\/Ouvrages_numeriques_files\/M\/MOUCHOT%20Augustin%20Bernard\/MOUCHOT%20Augustin%20Bernard.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Academie De Touraine<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-14.webp 436w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-14-300x248.webp 300w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-14-1x1.webp 1w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 436px) 100vw, 436px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img src=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-14.png\" height=\"361\" width=\"436\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-14.png 436w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-14-300x248.png 300w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-14-1x1.png 1w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 436px) 100vw, 436px\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5775 size-full sp-no-webp\" alt=\"Diagram of Becquerel\u2019s first solar system setup\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  > <\/picture><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">(Becquerel\u2019s setup, source \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/xenlife.com.au\/powerful-panels-going-solar\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">XENLife<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The first proper solar system with multiple cells by Fritts in 1884 marked the beginning of Solar \u2018Systems\u2019 or \u2018Plants\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>Some basic devices did generate electricity, but by harnessing heat instead of light, unlike the modern cells. Yet, those were important advancements in the understanding of solar devices, such as the thermopiles of Weston and Severy (1888 and 1894 respectively).<\/p>\n<table style=\"border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 50%;\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-15.webp 800w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-15-204x300.webp 204w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-15-768x1131.webp 768w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-15-695x1024.webp 695w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-15-1x1.webp 1w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img src=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-15.png\" height=\"442\" width=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-15.png 800w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-15-204x300.png 204w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-15-768x1131.png 768w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-15-695x1024.png 695w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-15-1x1.png 1w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5776 sp-no-webp\" alt=\"Patent diagram of E. Weston and M. Severy\u2019s soalr device\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  > <\/picture><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 50%;\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-1-1.webp 800w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-1-1-204x300.webp 204w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-1-1-768x1128.webp 768w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-1-1-697x1024.webp 697w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-1-1-1x1.webp 1w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img src=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-1-1.png\" height=\"441\" width=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-1-1.png 800w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-1-1-204x300.png 204w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-1-1-768x1128.png 768w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-1-1-697x1024.png 697w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafica-1-1-1x1.png 1w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5777 sp-no-webp\" alt=\"Patent diagram of E. Weston and M. Severy\u2019s soalr device\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  > <\/picture><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\"><span style=\"text-align: center;\">(Patent diagrams of E. Weston and M. Severy\u2019s devices, source \u2013 <\/span><a style=\"text-align: center; background-color: #ffffff;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.smithsonianmag.com\/sponsored\/brief-history-solar-panels-180972006\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Smithsonian Magazine<\/a><span style=\"text-align: center;\">)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<h3>The 20th Century<\/h3>\n<p>Einstein\u2019s paper and Robert Millikan\u2019s experimental proof of photoelectric effect provided a base for inventions. Along with Bell Labs\u2019 demonstration in 1954, Western Electric began selling commercial licenses for solar PV technologies.<\/p>\n<p>Between 1957 and 1960, Hoffman Electronics achieved 8 to 10% record efficiencies. In 1963, Sharp corporation built the first solar module. Towards the end of this century, several pilot projects worldwide had been installed.<\/p>\n<h3>The 21st Century<\/h3>\n<p>By the end of the last century, considerable development had already been done in the solar field. However, major development was witnessed in the efficiency and cost areas. At the same time, had have dropped to less than a tenth, thanks to automated and bulk manufacturing processes.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When-Was-Solar-Energy-First-Used\"><\/span>When Was Solar Energy First Used?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The intentional use of solar power by using basic reflecting or refracting surfaces has been done for millennia. But devices that converted this energy into more usable forms ushered an era of new technological possibilities.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking strictly in terms of solar photovoltaic panels, the first ever systematic use of solar energy was done by Charles Fritts. He installed the world\u2019s first solar rooftop system in New York, in 1884, way before solar started becoming a common word. The panels were made from selenium and showed an efficiency of only 1%, whereas the <a href=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/what-are-solar-panels-made-of\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">components used to make a solar panel<\/a> today come in a wide variety and exhibit amazing efficiencies going easily beyond 20%.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafic.webp 800w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafic-300x228.webp 300w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafic-768x584.webp 768w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafic-1x1.webp 1w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img src=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafic.png\" height=\"342\" width=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafic.png 800w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafic-300x228.png 300w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafic-768x584.png 768w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafic-1x1.png 1w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5778 sp-no-webp\" alt=\"Old solar system installed by Charles Fritts\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  > <\/picture><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">(Solar system installed by Charles Fritts, Source \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smithsonianmag.com\/sponsored\/brief-history-solar-panels-180972006\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Smithsonian Magazine<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The first space application of solar panels came in 1958, when the Vanguard I satellite was launched. Although it had only a 1-watt cell used to power its radio, this was the beginning. Further <a href=\"http:\/\/www.qrg.northwestern.edu\/projects\/vss\/docs\/Power\/zoom-solar-panels.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">satellites<\/a> such as Vanguard II, Sputnik 3, and Explorer III also used solar panels.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafic.webp \"  type=\"image\/webp\"><img src=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafic.gif\" height=\"400\" width=\"375\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5779 sp-no-webp\" alt=\"Diagram of the first space application of solar panels called Vanguard I\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  > <\/picture><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">(Vanguard 1, source \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.radiomuseum.org\/forum\/vanguard_1_transmitter.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Radio Museum<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n<p>In 1973, \u2018Solar One\u2019, the world\u2019s first solar powered residence was built by the University of Delaware. In 1981, the first solar powered aircraft named The Solar Challenger was built by Paul MacCready.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><picture><source srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafic-1.webp 1280w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafic-1-300x159.webp 300w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafic-1-768x407.webp 768w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafic-1-1024x543.webp 1024w,https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafic-1-1x1.webp 1w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" type=\"image\/webp\"><img src=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafic-1.png\" height=\"239\" width=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafic-1.png 1280w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafic-1-300x159.png 300w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafic-1-768x407.png 768w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafic-1-1024x543.png 1024w, https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/grafic-1-1x1.png 1w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-5780 sp-no-webp\" alt=\"image of solar one solar panels on a home\" decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\"  > <\/picture><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 20px;\">(\u2019Solar One\u2019, source \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/research.udel.edu\/2015\/10\/12\/solar-strong\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">University of Delaware<\/a>)<\/span><\/p>\n<p>1982 witnessed the first megawatt scale commercial power plant in California, despite of high <a href=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/how-much-do-solar-panels-cost-to-install\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">installation costs<\/a>. Following this, more commercial solar plants started appearing on the map, such as the one in Pellworm, Germany in 1983. Since then, the graph has never ceased to climb, leading to a cumulative installed capacity of over 500GW by 2018, as solar panel installation companies had higher installation experience than nations did in the past.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Development-of-Solar-Panels-Over-Time\"><\/span>Development of Solar Panels Over Time<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Even if we consider a timeline from Bell Labs\u2019 working cell to the current day, solar panels have come a long way. Everything from the size per unit capacity to <a href=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/why-are-solar-panels-blue\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the color of solar panels<\/a> has undergone a change. Efficiencies have multiplied by 10 to 15 times and cost has dropped by a tenth or more. Every few years, researchers discover newer materials that are cheaper or more efficient. In the past years, Gallium Arsenide, Cadmium Telluride, Perovskite, Copper Indium Gallium Selenide, etc. materials have come up as interesting and promising alternatives to conventional solar cells. Even the way solar panels are made today has improved hugely, with automatic machines with remarkable productivity.<\/p>\n<p>On the application side, we have started on the path of <a href=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/portable-solar-products\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">portable solar products<\/a>, building integrated PV, and solar panel roads. Some people also believe in space-based solar that can transmit energy wirelessly without being affected by day-night cycles and temperature factors. Floating solar plants promise higher efficiencies thanks to better cooling and saving land area while reducing water bodies\u2019 evaporation. Smaller applications like <a href=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/home-solar-products\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">home solar products<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/solar-lights\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">solar lights<\/a> have broken the image of solar being costly and a large-scale affair.<\/p>\n<p>\u00a0All the graphs of dropping costs or growing adoption are exponential in nature. In one line, the story of solar has been exciting, and it will be a growing industry with new developments to look out for.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-e613b08 references-section elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"e613b08\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3d486f2\" data-id=\"3d486f2\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-29c27fe references-heading elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"29c27fe\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<h4 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">References<\/h4>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1992fe1 references elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1992fe1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ol>\n\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www1.eere.energy.gov\/solar\/pdfs\/solar_timeline.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">The History of Solar<\/a> &#8211; U.S Departament of Energy<\/li>\n\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedaily.com\/terms\/solar_power.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Solar Power<\/a> &#8211; ScienceDaily<\/li>\n\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cesi.it\/services\/solar_cells\/Pages\/Solar-cells-for-space-applications.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Solar Cells for Space Applications<\/a> &#8211; CESI<\/li>\n\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/iec.udel.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Institute of Energy Conversion<\/a> &#8211; IEC<\/li>\n<\/ol>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-22addeea post-rating-section elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"22addeea\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-15f95c4f\" data-id=\"15f95c4f\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2348e99 post-rating elementor-widget elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"2348e99\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\"><!-- Rate my Post Plugin --><div  class=\"rmp-widgets-container rmp-wp-plugin rmp-main-container js-rmp-widgets-container js-rmp-widgets-container--5770 \"  data-post-id=\"5770\">    <!-- Rating widget -->  <div class=\"rmp-rating-widget js-rmp-rating-widget\">          <p class=\"rmp-heading rmp-heading--title\">        We hope you liked this article. Please rate it or leave us a comment.      <\/p>            <div class=\"rmp-rating-widget__icons\">      <ul class=\"rmp-rating-widget__icons-list js-rmp-rating-icons-list\">                  <li class=\"rmp-rating-widget__icons-list__icon js-rmp-rating-item\" data-descriptive-rating=\"Not at all useful\" data-value=\"1\">            <i class=\"js-rmp-rating-icon rmp-icon rmp-icon--ratings rmp-icon--star rmp-icon--full-highlight\"><\/i>          <\/li>                  <li class=\"rmp-rating-widget__icons-list__icon js-rmp-rating-item\" data-descriptive-rating=\"Somewhat useful\" data-value=\"2\">            <i class=\"js-rmp-rating-icon rmp-icon rmp-icon--ratings rmp-icon--star rmp-icon--full-highlight\"><\/i>          <\/li>                  <li class=\"rmp-rating-widget__icons-list__icon js-rmp-rating-item\" data-descriptive-rating=\"Useful\" data-value=\"3\">            <i class=\"js-rmp-rating-icon rmp-icon rmp-icon--ratings rmp-icon--star rmp-icon--full-highlight\"><\/i>          <\/li>                  <li class=\"rmp-rating-widget__icons-list__icon js-rmp-rating-item\" data-descriptive-rating=\"Fairly useful\" data-value=\"4\">            <i class=\"js-rmp-rating-icon rmp-icon rmp-icon--ratings rmp-icon--star rmp-icon--full-highlight\"><\/i>          <\/li>                  <li class=\"rmp-rating-widget__icons-list__icon js-rmp-rating-item\" data-descriptive-rating=\"Very useful\" data-value=\"5\">            <i class=\"js-rmp-rating-icon rmp-icon rmp-icon--ratings rmp-icon--star rmp-icon--half-highlight js-rmp-remove-half-star\"><\/i>          <\/li>              <\/ul>    <\/div>    <p class=\"rmp-rating-widget__hover-text js-rmp-hover-text\"><\/p>    <button class=\"rmp-rating-widget__submit-btn rmp-btn js-submit-rating-btn\">      Submit Rating    <\/button>    <p class=\"rmp-rating-widget__results js-rmp-results \">      Average rating <span class=\"rmp-rating-widget__results__rating js-rmp-avg-rating\">4.3<\/span> \/ 5. 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Be the first to rate this post.    <\/p>    <p class=\"rmp-rating-widget__msg js-rmp-msg\"><\/p>  <\/div>  <!--Structured data -->  <script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{  \"@context\": \"http:\/\/schema.org\",  \"@type\": \"Product\",  \"aggregateRating\": {    \"@type\": \"AggregateRating\",    \"bestRating\": \"5\",    \"ratingCount\": \"18\",    \"ratingValue\": \"4.3\"  },  \"image\": \"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/history-of-solar-panels-featured-image-new-e1590591701321.jpg\",  \"name\": \"The History of Solar Panels\",  \"description\": \"The History of Solar Panels\"}<\/script>      <\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>History of Solar Panels The history of solar panels can be described by Becquerel\u2019s discovery of photovoltaic effect, or the invention of first solar cell by Chapin, Fuller and Pearson in Bell Labs. But the story is much larger than just that. Since the beginning of life on Earth, the Sun has been the ultimate &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/history-of-solar-panels\/\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">The History of Solar Panels<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":6089,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"right-sidebar","site-content-layout":"plain-container","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"","_glsr_average":0,"_glsr_ranking":0,"_glsr_reviews":0},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The History of Solar Panels - ecotality.com<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ecotality.com\/history-of-solar-panels\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The History of Solar Panels - ecotality.com\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"History of Solar Panels The history of solar panels can be described by Becquerel\u2019s discovery of photovoltaic effect, or the invention of first solar cell by Chapin, Fuller and Pearson in Bell Labs. 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