Solar Powers 60th Birthday

And just think where we would be, cleaner healthier energy sources, if we had allowed the advancements in as we once had in many area's, envied by many on the rest of this planet. I have for years, as a construction multi trades professional who had helped install or been on sites where they were some forty years back, mostly residential who's owners had the systems working for years. Instead we allowed the same special interests, funding same today, to block that advancement as they also started the new capitalism, top enrichment, and shipped our innovative experienced trades offshore for huge bottom line profit growth, not for cheaper consumer products, with much lower labor costs, stagnated and falling wages here, and very little regulations. They now are rapidly advancing after building up their economies the old fashioned way with fossil fuels.

Thanks to Solar One for this first pic and the cut just below it, and reminding me how long it's been and in a time we as a Country were doing so much, not only for us but the world and taking pride in those accomplishments!

On April 25, 1954, scientists at Bell Laboratories demonstrated the most significant breakthrough in the history of solar energy: A solar cell capable of directly converting enough sunlight into electricity to generate useful amounts of power.

Today, the price for practical solar power has dropped dramatically, efficiency has greatly increased, and global installations have soared from less than a watt to over a 100 billion watts today. The majority was installed in only the last few years, and industry analysts predict the total to likely jump to 200 billion watts within the next year. This momentum is helping homes, businesses, cities, regions, and nations around the world transition to renewable energy, up to 100% and beyond.

And now we're approaching another solar milestone with regard to cost: Vote Solar announced this week that Georgia Power has issued an RFP for 485MW of solar power to be developed at a lower cost than coal. If Georgia Power's parent Southern Company embraces renewables in the midst of coal country, that could be a real game changer for the entire mid-South.

New Bell Solar Battery Converts Sun’s Rays Into Electricity (Sep, 1954)

Bell Telephone Laboratories demonstrate new device for using power from the sun.

Great and kindly is the sun. Each day it bathes the earth in light, bringing life to everything on earth.

Scientists have long reached for the secret of the sun. For they have known that it sends us nearly as much energy daily as is contained in all known reserves of coal, oil and uranium.

If this energy could be put to use there would be enough to turn every wheel and light every lamp that mankind would ever need.

Now the dream of the ages is closer to realization. For out of the Bell Telephone Laboratories has come the Bell Solar Battery—a device to convert energy from the sun directly and efficiently into usable amounts of electricity. read more>>>

Introduction by George Kupczak of the AT&T Archives and History Center