First Solar Panel Created

In a way many physicists played a part in solar cell invention.

First solar panel created. Just 7 years later charles fritts an american inventor created the first solar cell by layering selenium onto a gold backing. 3 though we use silicon in cells for modern solar panels this solar cell was a major precursor to the technology used today. Russell ohl was the first inventor who created the silicon solar cell in 1941. In 1958 the vanguard i satellite used a tiny one watt panel to power its radios.

The big break though came in 1876 when william grylls adams along with his student richard evans day discovered that selenium an element discovered in 1817 would create an electrical current when exposed to light. It all started in 1839 with 19 year old physicist named edmond becquerel. Other major events in the history of solar energy. Almost 50 years after the photovoltaic effect s discovery in 1883 american inventor charles fritz created the first working selenium solar cell.

In 1954 the three american researchers gerald pearson calvin fuller and daryl chapin were able to create a solar panel that could the had the efficiency level of 6 with direct sunlight. The first ever silicon solar cell could convert sunlight at four percent efficiency less than a quarter of what modern cells are capable of. Solar panels in outer space some of the earliest uses of solar technology were actually in outer space where solar was used to power satellites. Courtesy of john perlin take a light step back to 1883 when new york inventor charles fritts created the first.