27 Feb The birth of solar panels
In the late 1800s to early 1900s, research on the physics and technology of light laid the foundation for the development of solar powered devices. The technology of that time limited the applications of these technologies, but the discoveries and experiments made during this period helped to create the foundation for modern solar panels.
The French government supported the development of a steam-powered engine that generated electricity using concentrated sun energy in the 1860s & 70s. It was created by French physicist Augustin Mochot and considered the first solar engine. The French government reduced Mouchot’s funding due to a drop in coal prices, which made solar energy less cost-effective.
Charles Fritts, in 1883, discovered that selenium coated in gold had photovoltaic qualities. He believed he could generate substantial energy and built and installed New York City’s first solar array. Sadly, his solar array had an efficiency of less than 1%. Selenium is expensive, so his idea would be too expensive to use.
The Progressive Era saw the birth of modern physics and discoveries about light. Heinrich Hertz first described the photoelectric phenomenon in 1887, when he noted that certain materials emit electrons when exposed to certain frequencies of light. Albert Einstein developed this theory in 1905 with his theory of relativity. He claimed that light is actually composed of particles and not just waves of energy. This concept changed the face of science. For Solar Panels Exeter, visit SL Electrical, suppliers of Solar Panels Exeter.
Bell Laboratories developed a photovoltaic silicon semiconductor in the 1950s to produce electricity. An engineer at Bell Labs wanted to find a solution to powering telephones under humid conditions, as dry batteries deteriorated rapidly. He first tried selenium, which he knew had photoelectric properties. However, the efficiency of the material was low. Scientists Calvin Fuller, Gerald Pearson and others were also experimenting with various semiconductors. The scientists found that the photovoltaic properties of silicon could be enhanced by adding impurities.