History Of Solar Panels In The Us

Between 1970 and the 1990s there was a massive rise in the use of solar within the us.

History of solar panels in the us.

Scientists at bell labs developed the silicon pv cell. This energy crisis catalyzed the federal government s commitment to develop solar energy. Congress passed five energy bills in 1974 two of which cited solar power as a potential solution to the energy crisis. The rise of solar power.

The vanguard i satellite was launched into space in 1958 and the still orbiting satellite used a one watt panel to power its radios. This is the first time enough of the sun s energy is converted to run electrical equipment. Beginning in the 1960 s solar power was the standard for powering space bound satellites. Our timeline below highlights some of the most momentous achievements in the history of solar power right back to the discovery of the photovoltaic effect in 1839.

This is enough capacity to power the equivalent of 12 million average american homes 1. 1958 satellites and space stations began using solar power. Congress passed the solar energy research development and demonstration act of 1974 and the federal. In 1881 charles fritts created the first commercial solar panel which was reported by fritts as continuous constant and of considerable force not only by exposure to sunlight but also to dim diffused daylight however these solar panels were.

Installations have grown 35 fold to an estimated 62 5 gigawatts gw today. The first instance of this was when the us became the first country to use solar power in space. Concentrated solar power and solar thermal energy applications had been in use for a while but purely photovoltaic solar isn t born until u s. It was around this time in the 1970s that an energy crisis emerged in the united states.

The federal government s oil price controls of the early 1970s followed by the arab oil embargo of 1973 and the federal government s emergency petroleum allocation act of 1973 created an energy crisis in the united states. Solar cell engineering became more efficient cutting pv costs down 80. A year later the world s first solar powered automobile was demonstrated at an auto show. Solar powered presidencies in 1979 president jimmy carter had solar panels installed on the white house during his term as president.

Solar power is more affordable accessible and prevalent in the united states than ever before. In 2010 president barack obama requested that solar panels and a solar water heater be installed on the white house.