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Solar energy is not as new as you think it is! For centuries, humans have been using the Sun to generate energy. Let’s take a quick look at how solar energy became what it is today and what the future may bring.
The Distant Past
Humans have been harnessing the Sun’s power as early as 7th Century B.C. By using magnifying glasses and the Sun, civilisations were able to produce fires.
A little later in 3rd Century B.C., Greeks and Romans progressed and used mirrors instead of magnifying glasses to create fires, predominantly to light their torches. This was also the case in China in 20 A.D., where Chinese civilisations also used mirrors to utilise the Sun.
The More Recent Past
Jumping to the more recent past, scientists worked to develop a better way to achieve solar power. Edmond Becquerel discovered the Photovoltaic effect. This is where two metal electrodes placed in a conducting solution can generate electricity with the exposure to light.
This was a ground-breaking discovery as it kickstarted the creation of the solar panels we know today.
However, solar panels actually started with solar cells made from selenium. Willoughby Smith discovered selenium’s conductive properties and as a result, William Grylls Addams and Richard Evans Day discovered selenium’s capability to generate electricity when exposed to sunlight.
Dubbed the inventor of solar cells, Charles Fritts produced the first solar cells made from selenium. These solar cells would pave the way for the solar panels we know today.
Solar As We Know It Today
The solar panels we know today were created by Daryl Chapin, Calvin Fuller and Gerald Pearson in 1954, just over 70 years since the first solar cells were made. This time the solar cells were not made of selenium, however, but rather silicon.
Silicon is the same material we find in the solar panels we see today. The biggest difference between now and then though is the efficiency of the solar cells.
The first ever silicon solar cell only worked at a 4% efficiency whereas modern solar cells generally have around 15-20% efficiency. Although there have been cases where solar panels have been found to have 34.5% efficiency.
When we think of solar panels today, we usually think of those on the roofs of houses. But with the leaps in technology, we have applied solar panels to a number of different functions.
The Future of Solar
There have been many applications of solar energy in our everyday lives. For example, outdoor lights use solar energy to charge during the day to be used throughout the night.
However, solar energy is also used in major ways such as NASA putting solar panels on their satellites to power them. What better time to use solar energy than in Space!
Coming closer back home, there have been many advancements in solar energy and its applications. Let’s take a look at what’s new.
Perovskite
Current solar panels are made using silicon but this might change in the near future with the emergence of perovskite. This new material has been on scientists’ radar for a few years now but more recently scientists have been able to recreate their lab results out of the lab.
Perovskite has been found to be a more efficient way of harnessing solar energy. A whole new wave of solar panels could be created using perovskite instead of silicon. These solar panels could be more flexible and lightweight compared to the current solar panels of today.
This new material could also be integrated into any future applications of solar panels such as the ones listed below.
Solar Shingles
Scientists have developed a new way of installing solar to a home. Instead of attaching solar panels to a house, solar shingles could be utilised.
The actual roof tiles of a house could be replaced with these new solar shingles that have solar panels within them. In new-build homes, solar shingles could be implemented when the house is built, removing the need to replace existing roof tiles.
Another factor solar shingles combat is the opinion of traditional solar panels being ugly. Solar shingles would look more incorporated into the house, unlike traditional solar panels, meaning they won’t stick out physically or to the eye.
Solar Windows
An even more recent advancement is the idea of solar windows. Although still in its research phase, solar windows could provide a great addition to a home.
Made of transparent glass rather than the blue/black tinted glass that solar panels are currently made of, these solar windows could provide an alternative way in generating solar energy. These solar windows will be able to use all types of light, unlike current solar panels that only use visible light.
Solar windows, therefore, have the potential to produce a lot more energy than current solar panels given that their source of energy will be more varied. The potential for solar windows could be a game-changer in the solar industry of today.
Solar Powered Cars
With the rise of electric cars, a new generation is on the horizon. Solar powered cars have been making headlines as they have the capacity to immediately transform solar energy into electricity to charge a car’s battery.
An example of this is the Sunswift solar race car. This particular car has solar cells covering its roof and any other surface that is directly exposed to the sun.
The Sunswift car is proof this concept can work and be applied to the real world. Watch this space as you might find solar powered cars on the roads in the next few years.
Key Takeaways
So, there we have it, a quick whistlestop tour of solar energy from its emergence to its potential in the future. With the pace of innovation today, solar energy advancements will grow exponentially. You should expect to see solar energy in any form being implemented into your life starting today.