Solar power has become a popular form of renewable energy in recent years, but many people may not know when this technology was first invented. The development of solar power technology can be traced back to the early 19th century, but it wasn’t until the mid-20th century that it began to be used on a larger scale. In this article, we will explore the history of solar power in the United Kingdom and when it was first invented.
The history of solar power dates back to 1839 when French physicist Edmond Becquerel discovered the photovoltaic effect, which occurs when certain materials are exposed to sunlight and generate an electric current. However, it wasn’t until over a century later that practical applications of this technology were developed.
In the United Kingdom, the development of solar power technology began in the 1950s. The first solar cells were created by Bell Laboratories in the United States in 1954, and this led to the creation of the first solar-powered calculators. In the UK, the government began to research solar power in the 1960s, and in 1967, the first solar thermal collector was installed at the University of Sussex.
In the 1970s, the oil crisis led to increased interest in renewable energy sources, including solar power. The UK government began to invest in solar power research and development, and in 1978, the first photovoltaic (PV) solar panel was installed on a house in Wales. This panel was used to power the lights and appliances in the house, and it was the first time that solar power had been used in a domestic setting in the UK.
Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, solar power continued to be developed in the UK. In 1984, the government established the Energy Efficiency Office, which was tasked with promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. This led to increased investment in solar power research and development, and in 1995, the first commercial-scale solar power plant was installed in Cornwall.
In the 2000s, the UK government set targets for renewable energy production, and solar power became an increasingly important part of this. In 2008, the government introduced the Feed-in Tariff (FIT) scheme, which provided financial incentives for households and businesses to generate their own renewable energy. This led to a significant increase in the number of solar panels installed in the UK, and by 2016, there were over 850,000 solar PV installations in the country.
Today, solar power is a major part of the UK’s renewable energy mix. In 2019, solar power accounted for 4.1% of the country’s electricity generation, and this is expected to increase as more solar panels are installed. The government has set a target for the UK to be carbon-free by 2050, and solar power will play an important role in achieving this.
In conclusion, solar power technology was first invented in the early 19th century, but it wasn’t until the mid-20th century that practical applications were developed. In the UK, the first solar thermal collector was installed in 1967, and the first PV solar panel was installed on a house in 1978. Since then, solar power has become an increasingly important part of the country’s renewable energy mix, and it is expected to continue to grow in importance in the coming years.
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