The History of Solar Energy
Thus, the subject of solar energy is one of the oldest subjects on earth. It has gone through many evolutions and has been the subject of many schools of thought - starting with religion, and ending up in the field of science.
In fact, though not many people know this, a large portion of the western civilization celebrates the returning of the sun each year, just as the ancients did thousands of years ago.
I am referring, of course, to Christmas - which dates back to the celebrating of the winter solstice, the point in time when the earth has reached its furthest point away from the sun, and starts returning.
Of course, the story of Christmas has radically changed from its original meaning. It has gone through its own evolution. Originally being a celebration of the sun's return, it then became the celebration of the birth of Christ, and eventually wound up with a friendly old man bringing Coca Cola on Christmas Eve. But this last point is simply modern marketing at work.
The First Uses of Solar Energy
But we do know that the ancient Greeks and Romans civilizations, among others, made use of "passive solar energy" in their building designs.
Passive solar energy is the use of architecture in order to capture the sun's heat and light, for use in buildings.
Socrates and the Romans
The Romans also used this technique of positioning their houses facing southward, but they took it a step further, by installing more windows on the south side, allowing heat and light from the sun to freely enter the buildings.
With the above methods they managed to reduce the amount of fuel they needed to heat their homes. And considering that you had to go out and chop your own wood in those days, it was well worth it.
The Early History Solar Energy
A Timeline
The following time line begins with the first most basic uses of solar energy.
- 700 B.C.
An early form of solar energy is invented: the use of a magnifying glass to concentrate the sun's rays on a fuel and thus light a fire - for light, for warmth, and for cooking. This method is still in use, though the technology has advanced a bit. - 300 B.C.
Greeks and Romans use mirrors to reflect and concentrate solar energy when lighting torches for religious purposes. - 200 B.C.
The Greek scientist, Archimedes, uses concentrated solar power technology, by combining reflective properties of many polished bronze shields, to focus sunlight and thus set fire to an invading Roman fleet while it is besieging Syracuse.
(In 1973, The Greek navy recreated this scenario as an experiment, and succeeded in setting fire to a wooden boat 50 meters away.) - 20 A.D.
The Chinese use solar energy by employing mirrors to light torches at religious ceremonies. - 100 to 400 A.D.
Throughout the first four centuries after Christ, Roman bath houses employ passive solar heating by building the bath houses with large, south-facing windows, to let the sun's warmth in. This aspect of passive solar technology is still used by architects today. - 600 A.D.
Sun rooms on houses and public buildings become so commonplace, that laws are established regarding "sun rights" to ensure that buildings have access to the sun. These laws are recorded under the Justinian Code. - 1300 A.D.
The ancestors of the Pueblo people known as the Anasazi build their cliff dwellings in south-facing cliffs, so as to capture the warmth of the winter sun.
The History of Solar Energy in the Industrial Age
The next major advancements occurred in the 17th century, and were of a more technical nature. This is where solar energy technology really came into existence.
The book, Alternative Energy Resources: The Quest for Sustainable Energy
, covers the history of solar energy from the Industrial Age into the present day.This book also discusses the various available sources of renewable energy sources available, such as hydroelectric energy, wind energy, biomass, and geothermal energy. It also discusses other forms of alternative energy - nuclear energy, and the use of hydrogen.
This book evaluates the advantages and disadvantages of each source of energy. The author takes into account our energy requirements, environmental impact, and the availability of different forms of alternative energy, and he proposes his own suggestion as to what he thinks would be the most viable and feasible energy source for us in the modern day.
A Short Modern History of Solar Panels
Short History of Solar Panels
John Schaeffer talks about some of the history of photovoltaic modules (solar panels) from when Real Goods began selling some of the first solar panel technology on the market back in the late 1970's. Learn more at http://www.realgoods.com .
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Modern Uses of Solar Power
Here you can see a few examples of the modern uses of solar power:
Sunsei 71015 SE-24000 400-Watt 16.5-Volt Solar Panel Generator
These solar panels can be installed on rooftops of cabins, cottages, RVs or boats. These solar panels produce up to 400 watts and will charge several batteries at the same time. They are designed aerodynamically so as to reduce drag and stand up to high levels of vibration on moving vehicles (such as RVs or boats). Several panels can be connected in seconds, without any need for tools or rewiring. When your solar panel is charging, a built-in indicator blinks to notify you. The long-term energy savings, along with the reduced environmental impact, can be well worth the initial cost.
Brunton SOLARIS 52 CIGS Foldable Solar Panel (Black/Silver, 12 Volt)
Solar Power has gone mobile. If you want to take your laptop or your camera with you on your next off-grid camping trip or other adventure, this foldable solar charger can provide enough electricity to fit the bill.
Brunton Flexible Solar Module (14 Watt)
Another device from Brunton is the Brunton SolarRoll. While it doesn't supply quite the same amount of energy as the Brunton Solaris 52 above, 14 watts is not bad either. This one doesn't fold, though - it rolls.
Voltaic 1001 Voltaic Solar Powered Backpack - Silver
The solar panels installed in the back of this daypack will provide enough energy to charge most portable consumer electronics (though not enough for laptop computers).
Ideal for a weekend hike or a short off-grid excursion, the Voltaic 1001 solar powered backpack has enough pockets connectors to charge several devices at once. The waterproof, scratch resistant, and UV resistant solar panels can generate up to 4 watts of electricity. They are lightweight and tough, designed to withstand rough use. It would be difficult to break one of the solar panels by leaning on the bag, dropping it, etc. But even if you do, the solar cells can be replaced.
Learn More about Solar Power and Alternative Energy
These are some books and eBooks which you can use to increase your education and understanding of solar power and other clean energy solutions.
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- termit_bronx termit_bronx Oct 18, 2009 @ 11:49 am
- Really nice lens with a powerful information! I give you 5 star rating because i really like this topic. I agree that people should use solar power at their homes. I also created one lens on solar power, but it's in slovene language -> Ploscati Soncni Kolektorji. We should use natural factors eg. sun more often, because it's for free and there will always be enought power for everyone. This would help to make the earth more clean.
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