Many people think solar power is a new technology, but the history of solar power goes all the way back to the times of Ancient Greeks and Romans. Even in these ancient times, people understood the power of the sun and used it to help them in their daily lives.

Homes were built facing the sun at just the right angle to reduce the amount of wood needed to heat the home. Wood was a rare commodity at times so the heat from the sun was harnessed to make up for the lack of wood.

While ancient history is full of solar uses, it was not until the 1900s that scientists truly started embarking on the research that leads to today’s solar power generation.

Auguste Mouchout understood the need for alternative energy during the Industrial Revolution. When people were using fossil fuels to heat their homes and create electricity, he understood the long-term effect of this overuse. When no one listened, he chose to investigate further and was successful in creating the first known solar motor. By 1861, he had also invented a steam engine that ran completely on the sun’s power, but the cost of the machine led to its failure.

Throughout the latter years of the 1800s, European scientists continued to work with solar energy and reflect on its potential real life uses if the power collection were to be perfected.

The first huge step in the history of solar power that moved us towards the solar revolution occurred in 1921. Albert Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize that year for his research in what would later be called photovoltaic cells. His physics research on the photoelectric effect was the cornerstone to the creation of the same solar cells used today.

By 1953, Bell Laboratories designed the first solar cell. The cell, created by three scientists, created electrical current that was measurable – a huge feat at the time. The solar cells cost about $300 a watt to generate electricity from the sun (today that amount is about $5 a watt due to technological advances).

During the 1950s and 1960s, NASA was in the middle of the race to space which furthered solar energy research even more. Satellites and spacecraft used the power of the sun to create electricity, but the technology remained too expensive for anyone but the government to use. The tables were turned, however, when the primary source of energy, oil, was pulled out from under the United States as an affordable fuel source.

In 1973, an oil embargo caused the price of oil to double in 24 hours. In a panic, government officials quickly looked for an alternative energy source and the development of Bell Laboratories in 1953 came to mind. The government invested large amounts of money into the design and the power of the sun was soon realized.

The Future History of Solar Power

The future is brighter than ever before for solar energy. The price of solar cells is dropping and smaller units are now quite affordable for anyone and everyone to buy. Keychain units can be purchased for less than $20 USD and have the ability to charge a cell phone in less than 24 hours. While this may seem like a long time, the solar cells are often about one inch by one inch in size.

Solar powered cars, solar energy collecting windows, and building materials are not far from mainstream development. The sun is a renewable source of energy that can provide more power than any fossil fuel on the planet.

Author Bio: M.S. Rochell is an educator and the editor of www.Go-Green-Solar-Energy.com, which inspires and educate people about the benefits of using solar energy in daily life. Visit for more details on the history of solar power and to receive our free affordable solar energy eBooks.

Category: Computers and Technology
Keywords: history of solar power,history of solar energy,solar energy history,solar power history