The document provides a high-level history of solar energy technology development from the 1950s to present day. It discusses key milestones such as the creation of the first solar cell, decreases in solar cell production costs over time, increases in solar cell efficiency, and the use of solar power for applications such as powering vehicles and buildings. It also promotes switching to solar power to gain energy independence.

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The technology to derive substantial electrical current using light from the sun has been around
since the mid 1950's when the first solar cell was created by Daryl Chapin, Calvin Fuller, and
Gerald Pearson at Bell Labs - they developed the first solar cell capable of generating enough
power from the sun to run everyday electrical equipment. A silicon solar cell was produced that
was 6% efficient. They were later able to increase efficiency to eleven percent.
Anyone who is aware of the ability to harness sunlight into electrical energy just has to recall from
Jr. High School Science Class that Electricity produced by a solar cell is only good if the sun is
shining directly onto the a photovoltaic solar cell.
With basic knowledge that solar cells product Direct (un-fluctuating) current, it stands to reason
that there are two, very costly obstacles that stand in the way of practical solar power: 1) how to
convert the current from direct current (DC) to Alternating Current (AC) so that it can be used in
the common household and 2) how to practically store the energy for use when needed after the
sun had set or gone behind the clouds.
By the time solar technology had developed and become less expensive to produce, our nation's
infrastructure had already established and built around the standard of AC at 110 volts and 15
amperes. A big expense to the use of solar cells is the requirement for use expensive power
inverters to convert it from DC to AC.
With help from Exxon Corporation in 1970, a significantly less costly solar cell was designed by Dr.
Elliot Berman. His design decreased the price of solar generated power from $100 per watt to $20
per watt. Although, still costly, this was a giant leap into the feasibility of the use of practical solar
power
In 1976, the NASA Lewis Research Center began to install the first of many photovoltaic systems
on every continent in the world with the exception of Australia. Those systems provided power for
vaccine refrigeration, room lighting, medical clinic lighting, telecommunications, water pumping,
grain milling, and classroom television. The project took place from 1976 to 1985, and then again
from 1992 to its completion in 1995. By time the project was completed, 83 stand-alone systems
were in place. These areas where systems were installed were obviously devoid of practical on-
grid systems.
In July of the same year, the U.S. Energy Research and Development Administration which was
the predecessor to the U.S. Department of Energy launched the Solar Energy Research Institute.
And in 1977, total photovoltaic manufacturing production exceeded 500 kw (kilowatts). This was
only enough power to light 5,000, 100-watt light bulbs.

2. In 1982, the first megawatt-scale PV (photovoltaic) power station went on line in Hisperia,
California. The systems capacity was 1-megawatts and was developed by ARCO Solar. The U.S.
Department of Energy and an industry consortium began operating Solar One, a 10-megawatt
central-receiver demonstration project in California which established the feasibility of power-tower
systems. During this same time, an Australian named Hans Tholstrup drove the first solar-
powered car - the Quiet Achiever - almost 2,800 miles between Sydney and Perth in 20 days. This
was 10 days faster than the first gasoline powered car. Tholstrup is now the founder of a world-
class solar car race, Australia's World Solar Challenge.
Two other significant from 1982 which shaped the history of solar energy; Volkswagen of Germany
began testing photovoltaic arrays mounted on the roofs of Dasher station wagons which generated
160 watts of electricity for use in the ignition system; and the Florida Solar Energy Center's
Southeast Residential Experiment Station began supporting the U.S. Department of Energy's
photovoltaics program in the application of systems engineering. Worldwide, photovoltaic
production then exceeded 9.3 megawatts.
In 1986 the world's largest solar thermal facility was commissioned in Kramer Junction, California.
The solar field contains rows of mirrors that concentrate the sun's energy onto a system of pipes
circulating a heat transfer fluid. The heat transfer fluid, used to produce steam, powers a
conventional turbine to generate electricity. While
Researchers at the University of South Florida developed a 15.9% efficient thin-film photovoltaic
cell made of cadmium telluride, breaking the 15% barrier for this technology, a 7.5-kilowatt
prototype dish system that includes an advanced stretched-membrane concentrator began
operating in Florida.
The first solar station to distribute electricity produced from solar collectors was Pacific Gas &
Electric (PG&E) in 1993, in Kerman, California. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory
(formerly the Solar Energy Research Institute) completed construction of its Solar Energy
Research Facility and became recognized as the most energy-efficient of all U.S. government
buildings in the world.
In 1994 the first solar dish generator to use a free-piston Stirling Engine is hooked up to a utility
grid and The National Renewable Energy Laboratory developed a solar cell made of gallium
indium phosphide and gallium arsenide. This cell development was the first to achieve a
conversion efficiency of above thirty percent.
Two years later, although not in the United States but worth mentioning, a solar-powered airplane,
the Icare, flew over Germany. The wings and wings and tail surfaces were covered by 3,000
extremely efficient solar cells. Total surface area was 21 square meters.
The U.S. Department of Energy and an industry consortium begin operating Solar Two - an
upgrade to Solar One's concentrating solar power tower. Until the project's end in 1999, Solar Two
demonstrated how solar energy can be stored efficiently using molten salt economically so that
power can be produced even when the sun isn't shining; it also spurs commercial interest in
Molten Salt Power Tower Technology
[http://www.energylan.sandia.gov/sunlab/snapshot/stfuture.htm#tower]

3. On August 6, 1998, a solar-powered, remote-controlled aircraft, "Pathfinder," set a record altitude
of 80,000 feet after its 38th consecutive flight in Monrovia, California. This is higher than any
prop-job to date.
The tallest Skyscraper in the city that was built in the '90's -- 4 Times Square in New York -- has
more energy-efficient features than any other commercial skyscraper. The building includes
integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) panels on the 37th through the 43rd floors on the south and west-
facing facades to produce a portion of the building's power.
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Spectrolab, Inc. developed a 32.3%
efficient solar cell. This highly efficient cell resulted from the combination of three layers of
photovoltaic material into a single cell. This cell was most efficient and practical when used in
devices with lenses or mirrors which concentrate the sunlight. These concentrator systems
[http://www.environment.gov.au/settlements/renewable/recp/pv/pubs/pv2.pdf] are mounted on
trackers which always keep them pointed toward the sun. The NREL also produced a record
breaking achievement in the niche of thin-film cells. It increased efficiency more than 1% to 18.8%.
Today, with the price of petroleum topping $126/bbl, more and more people are looking to
alternative energy sources to fill their energy needs. From using cooking oil as fuel in diesel cars,
to using wind and sun energy at the residential level, people everywhere realize they can no
longer depend on the Middle East, or even their own governments to properly regulate energy.
Individuals will need to be proactive in their efforts to supply themselves with energy. Who knows,
it may be possible one day we invent automobiles with remove and replace batteries, similar to
warehouse forklifts. Spare batteries to be charged via solar panel during the day to replace the
spent battery at night. Just in time for the next day's commute to work.
Gene Duckett became interested in Solar Powered gadgets with his first credit card sized, solar-
powered calculator purchased from Radio Shack in 1979. Now that he is all grown up and knows
what he wants to do with his life, he is combining his interest in Solar Power with the opportunity in
the United States to develop energy sources that are independent of foreign sources. That is why
he founded [http://www.gnpsolar.com] His intent is to distribute information about solar power
and practical applications to as many homeowners and business owners as possible. He believes
that not only should we, as a country, eliminate need for foreign oil but, we should also reduce or
eliminate dependency on grid power. When individuals relinquish self sufficiency for daily needs
on a wholesale level, then they put themselves in a vulnerable position. Never in recorded history
has man been so dependent on his government(s) and to a certain extent big business) for
everyday necessities. There is a GOOD reason why the forefathers of the United States intended
to LIMIT powers of the government. Those reasons are still valid today. Join in the progressive
movement to end dependency on foreign oil and government control of everyday necessities. visit
[http://www.gnpsolar.com] and get on the mailing list for weekly updates on the State of Solar
Technology newsletter. There will soon be available valuable resources for converting your home
from grid powered, to solar power. There will also be links to suppliers, educational videos, and
technological developments. Its free and at the same time will be somewhat entertaining. Please
be patient while the website, affiliate links, and company store are being developed. The demand
for solar products is going to skyrocket, so these things will be available as quickly as possible.

4. Thank You.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gene_Duckett
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Hello. Please click on the link for more information on solar energy products for your home.
http://energyproducts.cleangreennation.com
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