Development Of The First Solar Panels

1954 on april 25 1954 bell labs announces the invention of the first practical silicon solar cell.

Development of the first solar panels.

Almost 50 years after the photovoltaic effect s discovery in 1883 american inventor charles fritz created the first working selenium solar cell 3though we use silicon in cells for modern solar panels this solar cell was a major precursor to the technology used today. Shortly afterwards they are shown at the national academy of science meeting. Courtesy of john perlin take a light step back to 1883 when new york inventor charles fritts created the first. The development of solar cell technology or photovoltaic pv technology began during the industrial revolution when french physicist alexandre edmond becquerellar first demonstrated the photovoltaic effect or the ability of a solar cell to convert sunlight into electricity in 1839.

Therefore the credit for the invention of the modern solar panel cannot go to a single individual entity. 1953 gerald pearson begins research into lithium silicon photovoltaic cells. However solar cells as we know them today are made with silicon not selenium. Therefore some consider the true invention of solar panels to be tied to daryl chapin calvin fuller and gerald pearson s creation of the silicon photovoltaic pv cell at bell labs in 1954.

In a way many physicists played a part in solar cell invention. Charles fritts installed the first solar panels on new york city rooftop in 1884. It was not until 1888 that the first solar cell was actually built by aleksandr stoletov. It all started in 1839 with 19 year old physicist named edmond becquerel.

These cells have about 6 efficiency.