History, Development and Utility of Solar Energy
|
Posted by Mircea on Wednesday, April 1, 2009 |
In 1891, an inventor in Baltimore, Maryland, patented the first solar water heating system manufactured in the U.S.Since that time, a major industry has grown in the United States(slowly at first), in California and Florida, then more gradually into the Midwest and New England, and finally into the rest of the United States.There have been booms and busts during the past century(times of great public interest, government support, and product innovation).And there have been times of declining interests, technical problems to solve, and lack of consumer awareness.
Today, the prospects of utilizing this technology are as bright as the sunshine on a hot, summer day.Hundreads of solar manufacturers, distributors, component suppliers, contractors, and researchers, from coast to coast, are working in an industry whose time has come.The products have been tested, certified, and widely used.The technology has matured to the point where more than one million Americans use solar water heating systems to provide for most of their hot water needs each day of the year.Hundreds of thousands of commercial and industrial buildings use solar water heating systems to reduce their eletric, fuel oil, gas usage and provide the hot water their customers need.
Another solar technology that is becoming more popular and economical produces electricity rather than heat.They turned to photovoltaics(solar cells made from silicon, a very abundant element on our planet).In time, civilian companies developed commercial uses for these cells including powering consumer products such as calculators, watches, and cameras.Not too long ago, the solaqr cells was a novetly.Today it is a serious, useful product that can meet many consumer needs.Price of cells have dropped more than a houndredfold since the 1970s to the point where solar electricity is practical and cost-effentive in many uses today.
You might also like:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Categories: Solar Power
Tags: photovoltaic, solar cell, Solar Energy, Solar Power