First Solar Panel Invented

In a way many physicists played a part in solar cell invention.

First solar panel invented.

Courtesy of john perlin take a light step back to 1883 when new york inventor charles fritts created the first. It all started in 1839 with 19 year old physicist named edmond becquerel. 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. Already in the 19th century french engineers began to use a steam installation powered by solar energy for printing books.

Just 7 years later charles fritts an american inventor created the first solar cell by layering selenium onto a gold backing. 3 though we use silicon in cells for modern solar panels this solar cell was a major precursor to the technology used today. 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. In 1767 horace de saussure a swiss physicist invented the first solar oven.

Therefore the credit for the invention of the modern solar panel cannot go to a single individual entity. Charles fritts installed the first solar panels on new york city rooftop in 1884.