First Solar Panel Invented Year

The 1950s 60s solar panels powered space exploration.

First solar panel invented year. While working on the coating of platinum electrodes using silver chloride he discovered a rise in voltage on exposure to light. 1954 photovoltaic cells improved to 4 efficiency by bell labs. Solar panels were able to help astronauts as they began exploring the final frontier. In a way many physicists played a part in solar cell invention.

In 1880 charles fritts used gold plated selenium to produce the first solar cell which also had an efficiency of 1. The first working solar panels. Just 7 years later charles fritts an american inventor created the first solar cell by layering selenium onto a gold backing. However fritts thought that his solar cells were revolutionary.

Therefore some consider the true invention of solar panels to be tied to daryl chapin calvin fuller and gerald pearson s creation of the silicon photovoltaic pv cell at bell labs in 1954. It all started in 1839 with 19 year old physicist named edmond becquerel. He understood the benefits of solar energy predicting that solar panels would soon replace existing power stations. The efficiency of a solar panel continued to improve over the next few decades making solar panels a whole lot more affordable.

1941 first solar is invented. Courtesy of john perlin take a light step back to 1883 when new york inventor charles fritts created the first. The big break though came in 1876 when william grylls adams along with his student richard evans day discovered that selenium an element discovered in 1817 would create an electrical current when exposed to light. Russell ohl was the first inventor who created the silicon solar cell in 1941.

In 1954 the three american researchers gerald pearson calvin fuller and daryl chapin were able to create a solar panel that could the had the efficiency level of 6 with direct sunlight. However solar cells as we know them today are made with silicon not selenium. Charles fritts installed the first solar panels on new york city rooftop in 1884.