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The Invention of the Solar Panel: A Renewable Energy Source
How sunlight-to-electricity technology grew from 19th-century lab observations into a mainstream power source, and who deserves credit along the way.
Energy and Water
Solar Power
Solar cells, panels and the many ways sunlight became a power source.
The Development of the Solar Panel: A Renewable Energy Source
How solar panels improved over the decades in efficiency, materials and cost, from 6 percent silicon cells in 1954 to today's mass-produced modules.
The Invention of the First Solar Panel: A Sustainable Energy Source
Who made the first solar cell? From Becquerel's 1839 observation and selenium cells to the 1954 silicon cell, credit depends on how you define it.
The Invention of the First Solar-Powered Car: A Sustainable Energy Source
From a 1955 toy-sized demonstration car to long-distance solar races, this history explains why solar vehicles have stayed experimental.
The Invention of the Solar Panel and Its Impact on Renewable Energy
How solar panels moved from satellites to rooftops to utility-scale solar farms, and how they changed the way electricity is produced.
The Invention of the Solar Panel Roofing System and Its Impact on Renewable Energy
How solar panels came to rest on and inside roofs: rack mounting, building-integrated designs, solar tiles and shingles, and the growth of home installation.
The Invention of the Solar Water Heater and Its Impact on Renewable Energy
Solar water heating is older and simpler than solar electricity: from 18th-century hot boxes to 1890s tank heaters and today's widely used rooftop collectors.
The Story of the First Space-Based Solar Power System: A Sustainable Energy Source
No space-based solar power station exists yet. Here is the history of the idea, from Peter Glaser in 1968 to small orbital tests in recent years.
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