Ancient

Ancient single crystal photovoltaic panel

In 1767, Swiss scientist Horace de Saussure created the first solar collector—a series of glass boxes nested inside one another. When exposed to sunlight, the innermost box could reach temperatures over 100 degrees Celsius, making it effectively an early solar oven. . Ancestors of Pueblo people called Anasazi in North America live in south-facing clif dwellings that capture the winter sun. (John Thornton, NREL / PIX 03544) Illustration courtesy of Kevin Porter, Solar Cookers, International This. . In the 19th century, it was observed that the sunlight striking certain materials generates detectable electric current – the photoelectric effect. This discovery laid the foundation for solar cells. Solar cells have gone on to be used in many applications. We often consider solar power to be a new technology, but it dates back to ancient times. Chinese, Greek, and Roman inventors built. . with the discovery years from 1839 to 1904.