SOLAR LIGHTS UP THE CENTURIES

The origins of solar energy can be traced as far back as the 7th century BC. 
The ancient Egyptians used the sun’s heat to bake straw and mud into bricks which they used as building blocks.Ancient Greeks and Romans recognised the benefits of what we now call passive solar design – using architecture to maximise the sun’s capacity to heat and light indoor spaces. 
By building houses that faced south, they were able to get the most out of the winter sun.At the same time, they were able to cut down on firewood which was scarce, displaying a very early switch from fossil fuels to renewable energy.The concept of solar design was taken further by the Romans who promulated a law against obscuring a neighbour’s access to sunlight, and also using glass and mica to cover south-facing openings.
Much less passive was the use of solar energy by the Ancient Greeks, who used bronze shields to direct the sun’s rays onto the wooden ships of the Roman army to set fire to them.By building their houses into the sides of rocky cliffs, some native American cultures were able to get the most out of the heat trapped by the rocks during the day.
Much later on, in 1767, Swiss scientist Horace de Saussure was said to have built the world’s first solar collector or ‘hot ‘box’, but it was not until 1839 when French physicist, Edmond Becquerel discovered the photovoltaic effect that the platform for modern solar energy development was set.  He discovered that electric current in certain materials could be increased when exposed to light.
French scientists continued to experiment with solar power, with a notable achievement by Auguste Mouchout in developing the first active solar motor as well as a solar-powered steam engine.The high cost of production prevented both inventions from succeeding.
Over time and all over the world, scientists were working out new ways of harnessing the sun’s energy.  In 1876, William Grylls Adams discovered that selenium produced electricity when exposed to light, without the need for heat or moving parts. 
Albert Einstein, better known for his Theory of Relativity, was awarded the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics for his theories on the photoelectric effect – involving the generation of electricity through solar cells.
In the 1950s, Bell Laboratories (now known as AT & T Laboratories) developed the first silicon solar cell which could generate a measurable electric current.It was the first time that something had been developed that could convert sufficient amounts of the sun’s energy to power ordinary electrical appliances.
Solar power found its first real use in 1958 when the Vanguard One satellite was launched carrying a solar powered radio.In 1981, an aircraft powered by 16 000 solar cells giving off 3 000 watts of power flew from France to England.
The oil crisis of 1973 to 1974 accelerated solar power research as the Western economies realized the need to reduce their dependence on oil.A large number of new applications was made possible after Dr Elliot Berman designed a less expensive solar cell in the 1970s. 
Environmental issues, particularly climate change, have been at the heart of the drive to find viable renewable energy sources such as geothermal, wind, wave and solar power.While the world has moved on significantly from the very early days of solar energy, the basic theory of Perth solar power as a viable alternative to fossil fuels remains intact.

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