History of Solar Power

Many people think the history of solar power begins with the panels and dishes invented in the late 1960s. They are surprised to learn that in fact, the use of the sun for household heating and lighting fires goes back to the Greeks and Romans.

The ancient Greeks were the first to harness the power of the sun.

Inquisitive (but naughty) children have found that catching the sun’s rays in a magnifying glass at the correct angle will burn any ants on the other side of the glass. This technique of creating a targeted fire goes back to the 7th century BC. In later years, Romans found that they could heat bathhouses easily by considering where they placed glass for windows. It is estimated that peoples the world over built dwellings with the sun’s power in mind, knowing that even in winter, they might get some natural heat without having to scrounge for firewood.

Solar powered cookers are being used in Africa today as a cost and labor-free method of cooking food. But a version of them was used by travelers in the 19th century. The effectiveness of collecting and then using solar power was so impressive, inventors continued to improve upon the technique. Throughout the century, scientists and inventors worked hard at lassoing the power of the sun. Although at the time, no one was sure that coal, oil and other fossil fuels were anything to cause concern, the idea of free and constant power, without the need to mine or otherwise despoil the natural world, was an immense temptation. Solar cells were first developed in 1876. The patent for a solar water heater secured in 1891.

The use of fossil fuels, dams and other environmentally harmful methods of generating power grew exponentially during this century, but so did the science behind solar power. The solar collector as we know it today, more or less, was developed in 1908. Solar buildings were in demand as early as 1947 – one of the stranger aspects in the history of solar power is how few people are aware that there was an acute energy shortage after the war, thanks to the immense power needed to win the war. This was an opportunity to change American energy habits significantly, and global warming might not be nearly so large a threat had the political will and financial wherewithal been in place. Unfortunately, of course, more effort was placed into securing further use of fossil fuels, but interested scientists were still devoted to improving solar technology for consumer and business use. In 1954, the first solar cell able to convert enough of the sun’s power so as to run electrical equipment was developed. Soon after this, the world’s first commercial office building to be powered by the sun – the Bridgers-Paxton Building in Albuquerque, New Mexico, was built. It is now listed in the National Historic Registry.

It was in the 1970s, during another energy crisis, that a less expensive solar cell was developed, making solar power more realistic for navigation systems, railroad crossings and other areas far off the grid. More and more people were convinced that solar power could and should be used for domestic and commercial enterprise large and small, particularly in sun-drenched regions. The federal government developed programs to study the practicality of harnessing the sun’s power on a larger scale and solar aircraft and cars were successfully tested. Throughout the 1980s, solar panels were perfected. They were increasingly seen on homes in California and other Western states.

One sad constant in the history of solar power has been the efforts of those in government and fossil-based industries to fight its further developments. Despite its few disadvantages, it is still a viable method of powering homes and equipment and only needs political and financial backing to become the standard, rather than the exception. California leads the way, so hopefully citizens elsewhere will prompt their governments to follow suit.

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