The discovery of electricity changed the world and has become one of our most utilised resources in the 21st century. 

 

Humans have identified the existence of electricity for millennia. The Ancient Greeks discovered what is now known as static electricity in 600 BC after identifying that an attraction occurred when creating friction between fur and amber.

Although, It wasn’t until the 1700s when science began to boom and electrical inventions started to manifest around the world.

 

Developments from the 17th to 20th Century

 

During the 17th-20th century, the development of science was astronomical. During this period we saw the invention of the electrostatic generator by Francis Hauksbee and the discovery of the electrical nature of lightning by Benjamin Franklin.

• By 1800, Alessandro Volta produced an early version of the battery. He discovered how to create electrical flows and as such, the word ‘Volt’/’voltage’ descended from his surname. 
• Not long later in 1821, Micheal Faraday invented the electric motor – a technology which supported the industrial revolution.
• By 1879, the first incandescent filament lightbulb was created by Thomas Edison and Joseph Swan and enabled the transition from candlelight to electrical light. 
• Then there was Nikola Tesla, a man born in 1856 who further revolutionised the world. He invented electric oscillators, and high-voltage transformers and helped create the world’s first power station – technology to which we could no longer live without!

 

1900 – Present Day Developments

 

By the 1900’s, scientists had a rather broad understanding of electricity and many began experimenting with electricity to design new technologies. One of which was solar PV. 

In 1940, the scientist ‘Russel Ohl’ developed the P-N (positive-negative) junction – which enables the flow of electricity within solar panels – and during a similar period, the scientists ‘Calvin Fuller’, ‘Gerald Pearson’ and ‘Darlys Chapin’ developed the silicon solar cell.  Together, alongside the works of numerous other scientists, the PV panel was developed and sold on the market.

Over the past 66 years alone the efficiency of solar PV has dramatically increased. In 1955, ‘Hoffman Electronics-Semiconductor Division’ produced PV panels with a mere 2% efficiency. Now however as science progresses, we see panels reaching up to 24% efficiency – this means that nearly a quarter of all the sunlight reaching the panels is converted into electricity!

Today, we utilise more energy than ever and as we become ever more reliant upon electrically operated devices and machinery the development of solar PV has never been more valuable to society.

I look forward to seeing what the future of technology holds for us!

 

 

Wessex ECOEnergy

 

Based in Dorchester, Dorset, Wessex ECOEnergy are an award-winning eco-build, solar, battery, and electric vehicle charger installer with a great deal of experience in the domestic and commercial markets. We help our clients to reduce their impact on the environment and save money in the process.

If you are interested in installing Solar PV, contact Wessex ECOEnergy on: 01305 250429

Or email us at: info@wessexecoenergy.com

 

Photo Credit: Green Living Ideas