The invention of the solar panel is credited to two people – American scientist and inventor, Charles Fritts, and German physicist, Ernst Heinrich Brüning. Fritts filed a patent for his solar cell in 1954, while Brüning filed a patent for his solar panel in 1955.
Who Invented Solar Panel
The invention of the solar panel dates back to the 19th century, when the very first photovoltaic cell was created by French physicist Edmund Becquerel. However, it wasn’t until the 1950s that solar cells began to be used in practical applications, thanks to the efforts of Bell Labs researchers Daryl Chapin, Calvin Fuller, and Gerald Pearson. Their invention of the first practical photovoltaic cell had a major impact on the development of solar energy. Since then, solar panels have been used to power everything from small appliances to entire homes and businesses. Today, solar panels are a viable source of renewable energy for many people, and their use is expected to increase even more in the coming years.
History of solar energy
The history of solar energy is a long and fascinating one. It dates back to the ancient Greeks, who first recognized the power of the sun’s rays. They used magnifying glasses to concentrate the sun’s heat to light kindling and start fires.
In the late 1800s, a French scientist named Edmund Becquerel discovered that certain materials produced electricity when exposed to sunlight. The initial experiments with photovoltaic cells—or solar cells—were largely unsuccessful due to their low efficiency.
The first practical use of solar energy came in the 1950s when the U.S. government used solar cells to power communications satellites in space. This use of solar energy became known as “space-based solar power.”
In the 1960s, scientists and engineers began experimenting with ways to use solar energy to power everyday devices. In 1954, two Bell Labs scientists, Daryl Chapin and Calvin Fuller, created the first solar cell capable of generating a useful amount of power.
The first commercial solar panel was developed by a company called Arco Solar in the 1970s. Their panels were made of silicon, which is the same material used in computer chips today. In the 1980s, the cost of solar panels began to decline, making them more affordable and accessible to the general public.
Today, solar energy is used widely in homes and businesses as an alternative to traditional sources of energy. It is also used to generate electricity in remote areas, such as in developing countries where access to the electrical grid is limited.
Overall, solar energy has come a long way since the ancient Greeks first discovered its power. We owe a great debt of gratitude to the scientists and engineers who have continued to push the boundaries of solar energy and made it accessible to the masses.
Conclusion
The invention of the solar panel is credited to Charles Fritts in 1883. He created the first solar cell by coating selenium with an extremely thin layer of gold. Although his design was inefficient, it was a major breakthrough in the development of solar power. In 1954, Bell Laboratories improved on Fritts’ design and developed the first practical photovoltaic cell. This invention kick-started the modern solar energy industry and enabled the development of the solar panels we use today.