Facts about Solar Power

1. Solar energy is a term used for describing a range of methods for obtaining energy from the sun. Many people immediately think about solar panels when hearing solar energy but wind, biomass and hydro power are all forms of solar energy. Wind develops through highs and lows in temperature. Wind drives waves. Rainfall, created by sun-warmed evaporated water feeds the rivers that are sources for hydro power.
2. In the late 15th century Leonardo Da Vinci already conceived of an industrial use of solar power by employing concave mirrors to heat water.
3. William Adams first discovered solar power cells in 1876.
4. In the 1830's, the British astronomer John Herschel used a solar collector box to cook food during an expedition to Africa.
5. As early as 1921, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded for experiments with solar power and photovoltaics. It was awarded to Albert Einstein.
6. In 1952, David Chaplin and other employees at Bell Labs discovered silicon made solar cells much more efficient.
7. In the late 1950s, NASA started using solar cells as a power source in space.
8. In 1983, 21 total megawatts of solar power producing cells were installed worldwide.
9. By 2004, 927 megawatts of solar power producing cells were installed worldwide.
10. In 35 states, you are allowed to run the power produced by your solar power system back into the utilities grid. Known as net metering, this allows you to sell your solar power to the utility, more or less eliminating your electrical bill and saving you thousands of dollars over the years.