Empower Energy
Solar panels are now an everyday sight around Britain as we all understand the sense it makes to use them. But how did we get to this point? How did we get from realising that the sun was a source of energy, to being able to use it to heat our homes? Here are some facts that show us humans were aware of the importance of solar energy long before those panels came along.
The early eighties saw several scientists working successfully on powering aircraft and cars on solar power.
This occurred during the space race, as solar power was harnessed to help with space exploration via satellites and space stations.
The photovoltaic effect was discovered when two electrodes placed in an electrolyte could increase electricity when exposed to light.
Horace has been credited with building the world's first “solar collector” a box with three panels of glass that could reach a temperature of 230 degrees Fahrenheit.
In theory, Archimedes showed that bronze shields could be used to reflect the sun back at an object and burn it
