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While it might seem as if solar power is a modern form of technology born out of a desire to protect the planet, you may be surprised to know that its roots in the U.S. go back as far as the 1800s. First demonstrated way back in 1839, the ability to generate energy that could be put to good use from a light source, was known as the photovoltaic effect.<br>
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While it might seem as if solar power is a modern form of technology born out of a desire to protect the planet, you may be surprised to know that its roots in the U.S. go back as far as the 1800s. First demonstrated way back in 1839, the ability to generate energy that could be put to good use from a light source, was known as the photovoltaic effect. What was next for the photovoltaic effect? As science in the country progressed and inventors began exploring the opportunities the photovoltaic effect presented them with, a basic form of solar power was patented, and it was upon this, that modern-day PV cells were based.
More than a hundred years after the discovery of solar power, in April of 1954, engineers from Bell Laboratories were excited to declare that they had invented the world’s first practical silicon solar cell. While this invention was anything but cheap to produce, and had a miserably low efficiency rate of around 6%, it was nonetheless, heralded as a solar energy revolution, and the beginning of a new era.
How soon would solar power be adopted in the U.S.? It wasn’t until almost 20 years later that an early pioneer of solar energy, Karl Wolfgang Boer, built what has been described as the country’s first building powered by solar energy, using cadmium sulfide (CDS) platelets. His work took place in the University of Delaware, and the project was given the bold name of Solar One. As an advocate of all forms of alternative energy, Boer later founded the American Solar Energy Society, and continued to play a significant role in the advancement of alternative energy in the U.S.
Our dependence on fossil fuels The gas crisis of 1973 made U.S. lawmakers and citizens think long hard about their dependence on fossil fuels like gas and oil, and forced them to seriously consider alternatives like solar power. Work began in 1984 to construct 9 individual solar energy plants in California’s Mojave Desert, forming the Solar Energy Generating Systems (SEGS) facility, that remains the second biggest facility of its kind in the world.
When did solar power get the attention, and funding, it deserved? While it was clear that up until the 80s and 90s, solar energy was being taken seriously, it still wasn’t afforded the research and investment required to take it up on a mass scale. In fact, it took a little push from the President of the United States himself, George W. Bush, who had a nine-kilowatt-per-hour photovoltaic system installed in the White House in 2003. Following on from this, governors across the country began calling for the widespread use of solar power in both businesses and homes, and introduced a number of aggressive initiatives to get the ball rolling.
It wasn’t until 2009 though, that a stimulus package in excess of $25 billion in funds was designated to alternative energy subsidies, quickly followed by advances in technology and manufacturing capacity that made solar cells a more affordable and efficient option. Solar now There has never been a better time for home and business owners to make the switch from the grid, to solar power, and with various state and federal incentives available, you could save both money and the environment, by going solar. To discuss your solar options in more detail, reach out to a local solar specialist and find out how much you could start saving, today.
Proxima Solar Energy is a proud veteran owned organization founded by a group of partners, on the premise that everyone should have access to a clean, alternative-energy future. Proxima Solar Energy is one of the best solar companies in Dallas, Texas and believes that your path to a clean energy future should not be difficult or complicated, so we seek to bring you simplified solar solutions that will benefit today and help to ensure a brighter tomorrow. If you are looking for solar panel installation in Dallas, look no further than Proxima Solar Energy. Get an instant ballpark solar estimate using satellites!
