Scientists at Bell Labs in New Jersey, the first silicon solar cell, was unveiled 70 years ago today, presenting the first practical “solar battery” to the public. The invention, which could potentially transform the use of almost limitless solar energy for human civilization, took several decades to become a reality. However, the global growth of solar power has only gained momentum in the last decade, with 1 GW of global installation reaching 1 GW per month in 2004 and around 1 GW daily, according to Carsten Pfeiffer, head of strategy at Germany’s Bundesverband Neue Energiewirtschaft association. The first usable solar module was presented on April 25, 1954, with its efficiency initially being only 6%. However, over the last two decades, this efficiency has since increased to around 25%, close to the physical limit established for silicon solar cells. The three scientists were posthumously inducted into the US National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2008.
Solar Dominates US Energy Capacity Growth
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has published data showing that solar accounted for over 75% of US electrical generating
