History of Solar Power Generation
Solar energy, generating electricity using energy from the Sun, has grown exponentially over the past decades to lead the way among other sources of renewable energy. Do you know, that man learned how to harness the energy of the Sun way back in time— as far back as the 7th Century BC, when concentrated sunlight was used to light fires, or in Ancient Greek and Roman Civilization when it was used for lighting ceremonial torches. So, how did we move from there, all the way up here to now, when you already have been or are considering using a Solar PV system to power up your own house? We’re going to find out today! Before we delve into the History of Solar Power generation, let us briefly refresh our understanding of how Solar Power is generated!
How is Solar Power Generated?
Solar Power Generation is done in two ways: either directly or indirectly. For direct conversion of solar energy, photovoltaic cells play a key role. These are made up of silicon which is a semiconductor material that produces current through electron activity when stimulated by sunlight. The indirect method of generation involves the use of lenses and mirrors. Generally, for electricity production, solar Photovoltaic panels are employed in different uses like residential, commercial, etc.,
Table of Contents
In this blog, we will learn about the following:
The very first Solar Panels-Selenium based Photovoltaic conversion:
When Solar Power was generated for the very first time, it was not Silicon that was used as the semiconducting material but Selenium. The discovery of Solar energy based on the Photovoltaic effect can be attributed to several contributions but the prime among them is that of Edmund Beckerel, a French scientist who found out that light could increase electricity generation when two electrodes were placed in a conducting solution.
Later, it was Willoughby Smith who discovered that Selenium had photoconductive potential and this discovery was furthered by Grylls Adam and Richard Evans Day in 1876.
1860s to 1990s
In the year 1860, Augustin Mouchot, a French inventor foresaw the necessity of finding an alternative energy source during the times of Industrial Revolution. He believed that coal being a fossil fuel would eventually run out. As rightly said, “Necessity is the mother of invention”, he started exploring indirect ways to harness solar energy. He began experimenting with solar cooking and working his way to produce steam by boiling water using solar energy. The steam generated was used to operate a small steam engine. In 1878, he along with his assistant, Abel Pifre presented Mouchot’s engine at the Universal Exhibition in Paris 1878 and won a Gold Medal in Class 54 for his works. Production of ice using concentrated solar heat was the most notable invention. However, solar power generation was not much celebrated in France and was conceived as uneconomical when compared to cheaper coal. This invention was perceived as not an important field to study, thus ending the funding and his research.
In the year 1883, Charles Fritts, an American inventor, pioneered the rooftop solar array using Selenium cells. He used an extremely thin layer of gold to coat the semiconducting Selenium. The resulting cells proved to be only 1% efficient in energy conversion. Such low efficiency along with the high cost of making hindered it from being used for energy supply.
In 1958, America launched its fourth Earth-orbiting satellite named Vanguard-1. It’s the first satellite to have solar electric power and is still orbiting the Earth despite the lost communication in 1964. The Vanguard 1 satellite and its upper launch stage are the only man-made objects to be in space longer than any other.
As solar power generation was more costly than conventional energy generators initially, it was considered impractical for conventional applications. In 1974, it was estimated that only six private homes in North America could afford solar power systems to heat or cool their entire home.
The 1973 oil embargo and 1979 energy crisis made the world rethink solar energy technologies. To boost the research, incentive programs like the Federal Photovoltaic Utilization Program in the US and the Sunshine Program in Japan were introduced. Research facilities like NERL (formerly known as SERI) in the United States (SERI, now NREL), NEDO in Japan, and Fraunhofer ISE in Germany were established. The period between the 1970s and 1983 witnessed an increasing number of installations of
The 1990s to 2010:
The development of residential and commercial rooftop solar along with utility-scale photovoltaic power stations gained momentum in the mid-1990s. The oil and natural gas supply issues and the rising awareness of global warming pushed people to choose renewable energy sources. The research developments in solar power generation to make solar power generation inexpensive aided in its growth.
The feed-in-tariffs policy was adopted in the USA in early 2000s. This policy prioritized renewable energy and defined a fixed price for the generated electricity. Thus, increasing the investment security and escalating the number of PV deployments across Europe.
2010:
For many years, the European deployment was responsible for the worldwide growth of solar PV. Recently, Asian countries, namely China and Japan have been major contributors to Solar PV systems. The cost of utility-scale solar PV decreased by 85%, whereas the cost of Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) only fell to 68% between the time 2010 and 2020. Hence, solar PV systems became popular.
2020s:
At a time when countries across the world are passing through a serious energy crisis, in 2021-2022, the price for some expensive materials like polysilicon has fallen compared to other energy sources such as natural gas, petrol, and diesel. In 2022, for the first time in history, the global solar generation capacity crossed 1 TW.
Present Status and Projections:
Present trends and the upcoming innovations in the usage of solar technology are listed below:
- Solar panels: The efficiency of the solar panel in converting sunlight to electricity keeps improving day by day. Now, the same-sized panel can generate more electricity, thereby bringing down the overall cost. The researchers study the application of new materials—like Perovskites—to improve efficiency and lower the costs of solar panels. In place of the traditional, standalone solar panels, research is oriented to developing solar panels that can be integrated into roof tiles, windows, and walls.
- Utility-scale solar projects: Such large-scale solar projects like solar farms produce a large amount of electricity and are getting impetus. The projects are usually developed by utility companies and are connected to the grid.
- Rooftop Solar Market: The installation of solar panels on home and building rooftops has been increasing for some years now.
- Solar Energy Storage: Increased use of solar energy generation makes it necessary to find efficient, cheap ways to store excess energy generated.
- Solar roads: Photovoltaic panels would be inlaid into the road surface in solar roads. The electricity generated is used to power street lights and traffic signals.
- Water treatment plants: These plants use solar energy to reduce the energy required to purify water and, in turn, lessen greenhouse emission.
Across the Globe
The skyrocketing prices of fossil fuels and electricity and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine are the two main driving forces that have provided an impetus to the renewable energy market.
The last two decades have seen humongous advancements in Solar Photovoltaic systems. There is a sharp decline in investment costs which is yet expected to decrease by 50%. It is estimated that by 2050, installed capacity costs for utility-scale PV will be between $0.42 and $0.58/W.
The demand for the solar power market shall shoot up the competition amongst financial institutions to invest in clean-tech businesses. The capex for renewables and grids will be approximately 47% of global expenditures by 2050.
For Greater China, by 2050, 60% of the power will be PV generated as the number of installations would be more than other regions.
While Greater China aces the race, the Indian subcontinent will catch up too. India and China together shall possess 60% of the global PV capacity by 2050 because of the increased energy consumption of the large population.
“Every coin has two sides” and so does Solar PV technology. The solar power generation markets may face certain challenges from investors. The investments need to be made at the required speed and volume for the expected acceleration in development and deployment.
Lowering the project and financial risks shall assure the investors about their expected returns.
The unforeseen: solar trash:
While thinking about the pros of the solar power generation industry, the cons are rarely considered. The world is not prepared for the deluge of waste that is likely to come. The financial incentive to invest in recycling has not been seriously considered yet. The panels are mostly made of glass which is a low-value material and small amounts of highly valuable material, like silver. The long life span of solar panels is responsible for disincentivizing innovation in this area.
Amidst the solar energy production boom, the need for recycling infrastructure finds itself in the dust. First Solar is the only U.S. panel manufacturer with an up-and-running recycling initiative for the company’s products at a global capacity of two million panels per year.
With the current capacity, to recycle one panel the estimated cost is about $20–$30, whereas the cost of sending the same panel to a landfill would be merely $1–$2. This estimated cost of recycling is only the end-of-life burden. These panels are delicate and form the bulky pieces of equipment that are usually installed on the rooftops (in the residential content).
Employment of specialized labor is required to detach and remove them with utmost care. Other than this, some governments may classify solar panels as hazardous waste as they contain small amounts of heavy metals like cadmium and lead. When classified as hazardous waste, it can only be transported at designated times via selected routes.
These unforeseen costs could crush the solar power generation industry before the industry achieves its full bloom. By 2050, its installations are expected to be 700 GW. The volume of waste produced is estimated to surpass that of new installations by the year 2031. By 2035, the number of discarded panels would outweigh the number of new units sold by 2.56 times. If the right measures are not taken at the right time, the much-anticipated bright future of solar power generation will enter the black hole created by its trash.
Conclusion
The long trajectory of developments and the ever-increasing technological innovations make the path of Solar Power an expectant one. With Worldwide usage estimated to increase manifold in the next 20-30 years, considerations about long-term investments and the hazards that Solar generation brings in its wake are essential to keep this sustainable energy source up and running solar applications across the world.
