Inventors Of 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.

Inventors of solar panels.

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. While we can pinpoint the major steps. Many argue that this event marks the true invention of pv technology because it was the first instance of a solar technology that could actually power an electric device for several hours of a day. Who invented solar panels.

In a way many physicists played a part in solar cell invention. Solar power before solar panels. The french physicist antoine cesar becquerel is credited with the solar panel research in 1839. Invention of the solar cell.

When and more importantly who invented solar panels is a complex question. In 1888 a scientist from russia named aleksandr stoletov built and patented the first true solar cell. As the sun s been around much longer than solar panel technology it stands to reason. He even saw a voltage develop when the sunlight fell on the electrode.

While he was experimenting with a solid electrode that was dipped in the electrolyte solution he was able to see a photovoltaic effect. However solar cells as we know them today are made with silicon not selenium.