The Incredible Invention of Solar Photovoltaic Technology

In honor of National Inventor’s Day (Feb. 11), let’s take a look at the incredible invention of photovoltaic (PV) technology. A solar system installation from a trusted provider like DFW Solar Electric can drastically reduce your electricity consumption from your local power grid helping make your house more sustainable in 2022. Read the full article to learn more.

It can be easy to forget how quickly technology has progressed in the 20^th and early 21^st centuries.

Rapidly advancing technologies have become so ingrained in our everyday lives that we can often overlook their impact or just how advanced they’ve become.

Take something as ubiquitous as the modern smartphone, for example. Whatever side of the eternal Apple vs. Android debate you fall on, your current smartphone – even if it’s several generations old – is truly remarkable.

Most of these devices have a mind-boggling processing power for their size. To put it in some context, the original NASA Space Shuttle boasted a sturdy, reliable 1MB of RAM. The iPhone 4s (yes, the device is now over ten years old) had a whopping 512MB of RAM.

Nearly every technology field has experienced the same rapid growth as computing, but some of it occurs less visibly. Some technologies advance quickly and quietly, becoming just as important, just as remarkable, as cellphones but without the glamour of everyday use.

In honor of National Inventor’s Day (Feb. 11), let’s take a look at the incredible invention of photovoltaic (PV) technology.

PV technology can help save our planet. Just recently, in early 2022, scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a dire warning: human-caused global climate change is creating a feedback loop of methane emissions. Unfortunately, the cycle will only continue to get worse unless humanity collectively curbs its carbon emissions.

Solar technology offers us a way forward. With a comprehensive home or commercial solar power system from DFW Solar Electric, you can join the conscientious side of history and do your part to improve our planet for generations to come.

PV Technology – A Brief History

Many people are surprised to learn that photovoltaic technology – absorbing sunlight and converting it to usable energy – is much older than they might think.

Although solar technology has undoubtedly advanced by leaps and bounds in the past few decades, making it now more accessible and affordable than ever before, its genesis occurred well over 100 years ago. The very first photovoltaic cell was created by French physicist and researcher Edmund Becquerel in 1839. Just 19 years old at the time, Becquerel was able to generate an electrical charge by exposing a conductive solution of chemicals to sunlight.

Of course, the electricity generated by some liquid in a laboratory flask was far from powerful enough for any practical use. Still, this critical first step inspired scientists, physicists, and inventors for the next century. Even Albert Einstein made essential contributions to the development of modern solar technology in a 1922 Nobel Prize-winning paper.

Fast forward to the 1950s. After more than a century of attempts at practical photovoltaic technology, Bell Laboratories demonstrated the first functional solar cells in 1954. Their work would gain wider recognition in 1958 when Bell Laboratories solar cells were used on the NASA Vanguard 1 satellite.

Modern Solar Technology – Seven Decades of Advancement

Since the first Bell tests, solar technology has continued to advance significantly in terms of efficiency, sheer output, manufacturing cost, and flexibility. Solar technology has become so ubiquitous that it often powers systems we wouldn’t even think twice about, like school zone lights or landscaping lights on turf spikes.

On the residential and commercial side of power generation, PV technology is a more practical solution to rising energy costs than it’s ever been before.

Though implementing this marvelous invention on your property comes with an up-front investment, choosing a reliable solar provider like DFW Solar Electric guarantees that your installation can reach maximum efficiency, saving you money immediately and paying for itself in the long run.

Efficiency and Accessibility

The efficiency of modern solar panel systems means that, with proper design and installation, your system could very well meet the complete energy demands of your commercial or residential property. From a financial perspective, of course, this opens up the possibility of full independence from local power grids.

Add in a reliable storage solution from DFW Solar Electric, and that possibility comes even closer to reality by storing excess energy generated for later use.

From an environmental standpoint, energy independence also means you can guarantee the electricity you use in your home or commercial property comes from a sustainable source. In fact, for systems without storage capabilities, you may even be selling your excess electricity back into the local power grid, offsetting unsustainable energy demands. With very few exceptions nationwide, most energy in the U.S. is generated by fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas. Any opportunity to reduce that dependence is a significant benefit for the globe and your bottom line.

The time has never been easier or more affordable to reduce your reliance on fossil fuels by turning to clean solar energy. Make the inventors of yesteryear proud, and let DFW Solar Electric show you how you can make the switch and how much you can save. Give us a call at 972-827-7651 or visit https://dfwsolarelectric.com to let us know you’re interested. We can provide instant estimates for your installation using satellite images. Still, a further comprehensive assessment of your property may be necessary to nail down specifics and determine your property’s fitness for a solar installation. What are you waiting for?