Fun Facts About Solar It takes about 8 minutes for energy from the sun to reach Earth Solar energy is the most abundant energy resource on earth – 173,000 terawatts of solar energy strikes the Earth continuously. That's more than 10,000 times the world's total energy use. Total U.S. installations may reach 3,300 megawatts this year – putting the country on track to be the fourth largest solar market in the world.

Solar Power

The Big Picture Unit 3: Solar Power 1.1 History & Uses 1.2 Passive 1.3 Active Power Transmission & Impacts

Essential Questions (pt 1) What is solar power? What is the electromagnetic spectrum and how is it related to temperature?

Essential Questions (pt 2) What is active solar energy and how can it be used? What is passive solar energy and how can it be used? How do solar cells work?

Essential Questions (pt 3) How is electricity generated from solar energy transformed for use in the home? What are the socio- environmental impacts of using solar energy?

How much energy is emitted by our Sun? The sun produces about 3.8 x 1023 kW of energy Only one one-billionth of that reaches Earth 34% of what reaches Earth is reflected by clouds …so how much Solar Energy reaches the Earth??? 250 Trillion Kilowatts!!! In 2008, 144 Trillion kWh were consumed on Earth. More solar energy reaches the Earth in 1 HOUR than is consumed by us in 1 YEAR

How much energy is emitted by our Sun? …so there’s a lot of energy emitted by our Sun. What of it? Well, we can use it to generate power or heat our homes. That’s what! Solar Power!!!

7th Century BC 2nd Century BC 1882 2012 1883 History of Solar Power Magnifying glass used to concentrate sun’s rays to make fire and to burn ants. As early as 212 BC, the Greek scientist, Archimedes, used the reflective properties of bronze shields to focus sunlight and to set fire to wooden ships from the Roman Empire which were besieging Syracuse. (Although no proof of such a feat exists, the Greek navy recreated the experiment in 1973 and successfully set fire to a wooden boat at a distance of 50 meters.) 1882 Baltimore Polytechnic Institute was founded 1st hydroelectric powerplant on Fox River in Appleton, Wisconsin 2012 20% of all electricity produced globally comes from hydropower 1883 History of Solar Power

History of Solar Power 7th Century BC 2nd Century BC Magnifying glass used to concentrate sun’s rays to make fire and to burn ants. As early as 212 BC, the Greek scientist, Archimedes, used the reflective properties of bronze shields to focus sunlight and to set fire to wooden ships from the Roman Empire which were besieging Syracuse. (Although no proof of such a feat exists, the Greek navy recreated the experiment in 1973 and successfully set fire to a wooden boat at a distance of 50 meters.) 1st – 4th Century AD The famous Roman bathhouses in the first to fourth centuries A.D. had large south facing windows to let in the sun’s warmth. 1200 AD Ancestors of Pueblo people called Anasazi in North America live in south-facing cliff dwellings that capture the winter sun.

History of Solar Power 7th Century BC 2nd Century BC Magnifying glass used to concentrate sun’s rays to make fire and to burn ants. As early as 212 BC, the Greek scientist, Archimedes, used the reflective properties of bronze shields to focus sunlight and to set fire to wooden ships from the Roman Empire which were besieging Syracuse. (Although no proof of such a feat exists, the Greek navy recreated the experiment in 1973 and successfully set fire to a wooden boat at a distance of 50 meters.) 1st – 4th Century AD The famous Roman bathhouses in the first to fourth centuries A.D. had large south facing windows to let in the sun’s warmth. 1200 AD Ancestors of Pueblo people called Anasazi in North America live in south-facing cliff dwellings that capture the winter sun. 1767 Swiss scientist Horace de Saussure was credited with building the world’s first solar collector. 1839 French scientist Edmond Becquerel discovers the photovoltaic effect while experimenting with an electrolytic cell made up of two metal electrodes placed in an electricity-conducting solution—electricity-generation increased when exposed to light 1876 1876 William Grylls Adams and Richard Evans Day discover that selenium produces electricity when exposed to light. Although selenium solar cells failed to convert enough sunlight to power electrical equipment, they proved that a solid material could change light into electricity without heat or moving parts.

History of Solar Power 7th Century BC 2nd Century BC Magnifying glass used to concentrate sun’s rays to make fire and to burn ants. As early as 212 BC, the Greek scientist, Archimedes, used the reflective properties of bronze shields to focus sunlight and to set fire to wooden ships from the Roman Empire which were besieging Syracuse. (Although no proof of such a feat exists, the Greek navy recreated the experiment in 1973 and successfully set fire to a wooden boat at a distance of 50 meters.) 1st – 4th Century AD The famous Roman bathhouses in the first to fourth centuries A.D. had large south facing windows to let in the sun’s warmth. 1200 AD Ancestors of Pueblo people called Anasazi in North America live in south-facing cliff dwellings that capture the winter sun. 1767 Swiss scientist Horace de Saussure was credited with building the world’s first solar collector. 1839 French scientist Edmond Becquerel discovers the photovoltaic effect while experimenting with an electrolytic cell made up of two metal electrodes placed in an electricity-conducting solution—electricity-generation increased when exposed to light 1876 1876 William Grylls Adams and Richard Evans Day discover that selenium produces electricity when exposed to light. Although selenium solar cells failed to convert enough sunlight to power electrical equipment, they proved that a solid material could change light into electricity without heat or moving parts. 1883 Charles Fritts, an American inventor, described the first solar cells made from selenium wafers.

History of Solar Power 7th Century BC 2nd Century BC Magnifying glass used to concentrate sun’s rays to make fire and to burn ants. As early as 212 BC, the Greek scientist, Archimedes, used the reflective properties of bronze shields to focus sunlight and to set fire to wooden ships from the Roman Empire which were besieging Syracuse. (Although no proof of such a feat exists, the Greek navy recreated the experiment in 1973 and successfully set fire to a wooden boat at a distance of 50 meters.) 1st – 4th Century AD The famous Roman bathhouses in the first to fourth centuries A.D. had large south facing windows to let in the sun’s warmth. 1200 AD Ancestors of Pueblo people called Anasazi in North America live in south-facing cliff dwellings that capture the winter sun. 1767 Swiss scientist Horace de Saussure was credited with building the world’s first solar collector. 1839 French scientist Edmond Becquerel discovers the photovoltaic effect while experimenting with an electrolytic cell made up of two metal electrodes placed in an electricity-conducting solution—electricity-generation increased when exposed to light 1876 1876 William Grylls Adams and Richard Evans Day discover that selenium produces electricity when exposed to light. Although selenium solar cells failed to convert enough sunlight to power electrical equipment, they proved that a solid material could change light into electricity without heat or moving parts. 1883 Charles Fritts, an American inventor, described the first solar cells made from selenium wafers. 1891 Baltimore inventor Clarence Kemp patented the first commercial solar water heater. For more information on the water heater, see the http://www.californiasolarcenter.org/history_solarthermal.html California Solar Center. 1954 Daryl Chapin, Calvin Fuller, and Gerald Pearson develop the silicon photovoltaic (PV) cell at Bell Labs—the first solar cell capable of converting enough of the sun’s energy into power to run everyday electrical equipment. 1960 Silicon Sensors, Inc., of Dodgeville, Wisconsin, is founded. It starts producing selenium and silicon photovoltaic cells. 1969 The Odeillo solar furnace in France was constructed, using an 8-story parabolic mirror. 1982 The U.S. Department of Energy, along with an industry consortium, begins operating Solar One, a 10-megawatt central-receiver demonstration project. 1999 Cumulative worldwide installed photovoltaic capacity reaches 1000 megawatts. 2001 Home Depot begins selling residential solar power systems in California. A year later it expands sales to include 61 stores nationwide.

History of Solar Power 7th Century BC 2nd Century BC Magnifying glass used to concentrate sun’s rays to make fire and to burn ants. As early as 212 BC, the Greek scientist, Archimedes, used the reflective properties of bronze shields to focus sunlight and to set fire to wooden ships from the Roman Empire which were besieging Syracuse. (Although no proof of such a feat exists, the Greek navy recreated the experiment in 1973 and successfully set fire to a wooden boat at a distance of 50 meters.) 1st – 4th Century AD The famous Roman bathhouses in the first to fourth centuries A.D. had large south facing windows to let in the sun’s warmth. 1200 AD Ancestors of Pueblo people called Anasazi in North America live in south-facing cliff dwellings that capture the winter sun. 1767 Swiss scientist Horace de Saussure was credited with building the world’s first solar collector. 1839 French scientist Edmond Becquerel discovers the photovoltaic effect while experimenting with an electrolytic cell made up of two metal electrodes placed in an electricity-conducting solution—electricity-generation increased when exposed to light 1876 1876 William Grylls Adams and Richard Evans Day discover that selenium produces electricity when exposed to light. Although selenium solar cells failed to convert enough sunlight to power electrical equipment, they proved that a solid material could change light into electricity without heat or moving parts. 1883 Charles Fritts, an American inventor, described the first solar cells made from selenium wafers. 1891 Baltimore inventor Clarence Kemp patented the first commercial solar water heater. For more information on the water heater, see the http://www.californiasolarcenter.org/history_solarthermal.html California Solar Center. 1954 Daryl Chapin, Calvin Fuller, and Gerald Pearson develop the silicon photovoltaic (PV) cell at Bell Labs—the first solar cell capable of converting enough of the sun’s energy into power to run everyday electrical equipment. 1960 Silicon Sensors, Inc., of Dodgeville, Wisconsin, is founded. It starts producing selenium and silicon photovoltaic cells. 1969 The Odeillo solar furnace in France was constructed, using an 8-story parabolic mirror. 1982 The U.S. Department of Energy, along with an industry consortium, begins operating Solar One, a 10-megawatt central-receiver demonstration project. 1999 Cumulative worldwide installed photovoltaic capacity reaches 1000 megawatts. 2001 Home Depot begins selling residential solar power systems in California. A year later it expands sales to include 61 stores nationwide.

History of Solar Power 7th Century BC 2nd Century BC Magnifying glass used to concentrate sun’s rays to make fire and to burn ants. As early as 212 BC, the Greek scientist, Archimedes, used the reflective properties of bronze shields to focus sunlight and to set fire to wooden ships from the Roman Empire which were besieging Syracuse. (Although no proof of such a feat exists, the Greek navy recreated the experiment in 1973 and successfully set fire to a wooden boat at a distance of 50 meters.) 1st – 4th Century AD The famous Roman bathhouses in the first to fourth centuries A.D. had large south facing windows to let in the sun’s warmth. 1200 AD Ancestors of Pueblo people called Anasazi in North America live in south-facing cliff dwellings that capture the winter sun. 1767 Swiss scientist Horace de Saussure was credited with building the world’s first solar collector. 1839 French scientist Edmond Becquerel discovers the photovoltaic effect while experimenting with an electrolytic cell made up of two metal electrodes placed in an electricity-conducting solution—electricity-generation increased when exposed to light 1876 1876 William Grylls Adams and Richard Evans Day discover that selenium produces electricity when exposed to light. Although selenium solar cells failed to convert enough sunlight to power electrical equipment, they proved that a solid material could change light into electricity without heat or moving parts. 1883 Charles Fritts, an American inventor, described the first solar cells made from selenium wafers. 1891 Baltimore inventor Clarence Kemp patented the first commercial solar water heater. For more information on the water heater, see the http://www.californiasolarcenter.org/history_solarthermal.html California Solar Center. 1954 Daryl Chapin, Calvin Fuller, and Gerald Pearson develop the silicon photovoltaic (PV) cell at Bell Labs—the first solar cell capable of converting enough of the sun’s energy into power to run everyday electrical equipment. 1960 Silicon Sensors, Inc., of Dodgeville, Wisconsin, is founded. It starts producing selenium and silicon photovoltaic cells. 1969 The Odeillo solar furnace in France was constructed, using an 8-story parabolic mirror. 1982 The U.S. Department of Energy, along with an industry consortium, begins operating Solar One, a 10-megawatt central-receiver demonstration project. 1999 Cumulative worldwide installed photovoltaic capacity reaches 1000 megawatts. 2001 Home Depot begins selling residential solar power systems in California. A year later it expands sales to include 61 stores nationwide.

History of Solar Power 7th Century BC 2nd Century BC Magnifying glass used to concentrate sun’s rays to make fire and to burn ants. As early as 212 BC, the Greek scientist, Archimedes, used the reflective properties of bronze shields to focus sunlight and to set fire to wooden ships from the Roman Empire which were besieging Syracuse. (Although no proof of such a feat exists, the Greek navy recreated the experiment in 1973 and successfully set fire to a wooden boat at a distance of 50 meters.) 1st – 4th Century AD The famous Roman bathhouses in the first to fourth centuries A.D. had large south facing windows to let in the sun’s warmth. 1200 AD Ancestors of Pueblo people called Anasazi in North America live in south-facing cliff dwellings that capture the winter sun. 1767 Swiss scientist Horace de Saussure was credited with building the world’s first solar collector. 1839 French scientist Edmond Becquerel discovers the photovoltaic effect while experimenting with an electrolytic cell made up of two metal electrodes placed in an electricity-conducting solution—electricity-generation increased when exposed to light 1876 1876 William Grylls Adams and Richard Evans Day discover that selenium produces electricity when exposed to light. Although selenium solar cells failed to convert enough sunlight to power electrical equipment, they proved that a solid material could change light into electricity without heat or moving parts. 1883 Charles Fritts, an American inventor, described the first solar cells made from selenium wafers. 1891 Baltimore inventor Clarence Kemp patented the first commercial solar water heater. For more information on the water heater, see the http://www.californiasolarcenter.org/history_solarthermal.html California Solar Center. 1954 Daryl Chapin, Calvin Fuller, and Gerald Pearson develop the silicon photovoltaic (PV) cell at Bell Labs—the first solar cell capable of converting enough of the sun’s energy into power to run everyday electrical equipment. 1960 Silicon Sensors, Inc., of Dodgeville, Wisconsin, is founded. It starts producing selenium and silicon photovoltaic cells. 1969 The Odeillo solar furnace in France was constructed, using an 8-story parabolic mirror. 1982 The U.S. Department of Energy, along with an industry consortium, begins operating Solar One, a 10-megawatt central-receiver demonstration project. 1999 Cumulative worldwide installed photovoltaic capacity reaches 1000 megawatts. 2001 Home Depot begins selling residential solar power systems in California. A year later it expands sales to include 61 stores nationwide.

History of Solar Power 7th Century BC 2nd Century BC Magnifying glass used to concentrate sun’s rays to make fire and to burn ants. As early as 212 BC, the Greek scientist, Archimedes, used the reflective properties of bronze shields to focus sunlight and to set fire to wooden ships from the Roman Empire which were besieging Syracuse. (Although no proof of such a feat exists, the Greek navy recreated the experiment in 1973 and successfully set fire to a wooden boat at a distance of 50 meters.) 1st – 4th Century AD The famous Roman bathhouses in the first to fourth centuries A.D. had large south facing windows to let in the sun’s warmth. 1200 AD Ancestors of Pueblo people called Anasazi in North America live in south-facing cliff dwellings that capture the winter sun. 1767 Swiss scientist Horace de Saussure was credited with building the world’s first solar collector. 1839 French scientist Edmond Becquerel discovers the photovoltaic effect while experimenting with an electrolytic cell made up of two metal electrodes placed in an electricity-conducting solution—electricity-generation increased when exposed to light 1876 1876 William Grylls Adams and Richard Evans Day discover that selenium produces electricity when exposed to light. Although selenium solar cells failed to convert enough sunlight to power electrical equipment, they proved that a solid material could change light into electricity without heat or moving parts. 1883 Charles Fritts, an American inventor, described the first solar cells made from selenium wafers. 1891 Baltimore inventor Clarence Kemp patented the first commercial solar water heater. For more information on the water heater, see the http://www.californiasolarcenter.org/history_solarthermal.html California Solar Center. 1954 Daryl Chapin, Calvin Fuller, and Gerald Pearson develop the silicon photovoltaic (PV) cell at Bell Labs—the first solar cell capable of converting enough of the sun’s energy into power to run everyday electrical equipment. 1960 Silicon Sensors, Inc., of Dodgeville, Wisconsin, is founded. It starts producing selenium and silicon photovoltaic cells. 1969 The Odeillo solar furnace in France was constructed, using an 8-story parabolic mirror. 1982 The U.S. Department of Energy, along with an industry consortium, begins operating Solar One, a 10-megawatt central-receiver demonstration project. 1999 Cumulative worldwide installed photovoltaic capacity reaches 1000 megawatts. 2001 Home Depot begins selling residential solar power systems in California. A year later it expands sales to include 61 stores nationwide.

What’s Coming Up? The Electromagnetic Spectrum Passive Solar Energy Active Solar Energy Power Transmission Impacts on Environment/Society