A Few Things That You Should Know About The Development Of Solar Energy

By Thomas Gardella

The development of the solar energy dated back to the ancient time of the Greeks as far back as the seventh century when they started concentrating the rays of the sun with lenses to start fires. The Romans are not left out as they can be credited with heating their bath waters with the heat of the sun. More so, they developed the art of facing windows to the south so that they can conserve the heat during cold weather.

However, not one single person or groups could be credited with the modern invention of harnessing the power of the sun. This is because the development is an ongoing developmental process. In fact, the technology is still undergoing many innovations and development from many scientists in different parts of the world.

Yet, it is still possible to name a few influential figures that were instrumental to the success of the technology. A prominent figure is Horace De Saussure who developed the very first solar collector in 1767. Interestingly, history has it that Sir John Herschel made use of the technology to heat his food during the expeditions he made into the interior of Africa in 1830.

One other forerunner is Edmund Becquerel who was able to show the world that some materials have the ability to produce electricity when they are hit by sunlight. Albert Einstein now took the research further and he was able to show that some surfaces have the capability of releasing electrons when they are in direct contact with sunlight. Thus, in 1905 Einstein won the Nobel Prize for his research into the technology.

Later on, the research culminated in the production of photovoltaic cells that were used to power spaceships into outer space. Before the development of photovoltaic cells, spaceships can only be powered by huge chemical batteries that had short lifespan. On the other hand, the photovoltaic cells made it easy for spaceships to be powered by cells with a longer lifespan. This was the major reason why governments became interested in providing enough funding for more research.

However, the technology was still expensive to have any real use on the surface of the earth. Nevertheless, the scientists at bell laboratories were able to covert the power from the sun into simple cells that were used extensively for powering small electronics like remote controls, flashlights and toys among others. Thus, they ushered in the era of finding everyday usage for the tremendous power of the sun.

However, technology has now witnessed a giant leap forward and the technology now has many modern usages. For example, many home are now outfitted with the panels such that their electrical needs can be met by the sun. In fact, there are now hybrid cars that could be powered by the sun. You will also discover that many farms in the rural areas are now benefiting from the power provided by the sun.

Additionally, many homes in different parts of the world are now incorporating alternative energy to provide their energy needs. This is evident by the number of panels that are placed on top of houses to save the charge from the sun. However, the development of solar energy is not yet at its peak because many researches are still ongoing in different parts of the world to ensure that there is a better, faster and cheaper means of harnessing the power from the sun for daily activities.

Find a brief summary of the reasons why you should use solar power and information about a reputable company that specializes in solar energy, today

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Topics: Environment | Comments Off

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