Solar energy has been used by humans for thousands of years, but it was not until the 19th century that scientists began to understand the potential of harnessing the sun’s power for electricity. In the United Kingdom, solar energy was first discovered in the early 1900s when scientists began experimenting with photovoltaic (PV) cells. Today, solar energy is a rapidly growing industry in the UK and is expected to play a significant role in the country’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
The history of solar energy in the UK dates back to the early 1900s when William Grylls Adams and Richard Day discovered the photovoltaic effect. The photovoltaic effect is the process by which light is converted into electricity using a semiconductor material. Adams and Day observed that when they exposed selenium to light, it produced an electric current. This discovery led to the development of the first PV cell, which was made of selenium and produced a low-voltage, direct current (DC) electricity.
The first practical application of solar energy in the UK was the solar water heater, which was developed in the 1920s. The solar water heater used the sun’s energy to heat water for domestic use. However, the technology was expensive and not widely adopted. It was not until the 1950s that solar water heaters became more common in the UK, particularly in remote locations where there was no access to grid electricity.
In the 1960s, the UK government funded research into solar energy, leading to the development of the first solar-powered calculators. These calculators used small PV cells to power the display and were the first practical application of solar energy for everyday use.
In the 1970s, the oil crisis and concerns about the environmental impact of fossil fuels led to increased interest in renewable energy sources, including solar energy. The UK government established a number of research programs to develop solar energy technology, including the Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI) and the British Photovoltaic Association (BPVA).
The 1980s saw the development of more efficient PV cells and the first grid-connected solar power systems. These systems were used to power remote locations, such as lighthouses and weather stations. However, the high cost of solar energy and the relatively low efficiency of PV cells meant that solar power was not yet competitive with fossil fuels.
In the 1990s, the UK government introduced a number of incentives to encourage the use of renewable energy, including solar energy. These incentives included the Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO), which required electricity suppliers to source a proportion of their electricity from renewable sources. The NFFO led to the development of a number of large-scale solar power projects in the UK.
Since the 2000s, the cost of PV cells has fallen dramatically, making solar energy more competitive with fossil fuels. The UK government has continued to introduce incentives to encourage the use of renewable energy, including the Feed-in Tariff (FIT), which pays homeowners and businesses for the electricity they generate from solar panels.
Today, solar energy is a rapidly growing industry in the UK. According to the Solar Trade Association, there are over one million solar installations in the UK, with a total capacity of over 13 gigawatts (GW). Solar energy is now cost-competitive with fossil fuels and is expected to play a significant role in the UK’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
In conclusion, solar energy was first discovered in the UK in the early 1900s by William Grylls Adams and Richard Day. Since then, the UK government has funded research into solar energy and introduced a number of incentives to encourage the use of renewable energy. Today, solar energy is a rapidly growing industry in the UK and is expected to play a significant role in the country’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
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