When were solar panels invented?

You may think of solar panels as a relatively new technology but in actual fact, solar panels have been around for well over a century.

A French physicist Edomon Becquerel is the first recorded observer of the photovoltaic effect whereby electric current is generated when exposed to light or radiant heat. This was in 1839!

By 1860, the first patents for solar powered vehicles but it was not until the 1880s that the first patents were filed for anything resembling what we know today as solar panels. One of the first solar panels installed was in a rooftop in New York in 1884!

It is understandable that this early technology was somewhat limited.  The energy conversion of the first solar panels was only 1-2% compared to more modern solar panels which are more than 20%.

The materials used in those early solar panels has been completely replaced with more advanced material science to help improve the efficiency of solar panels and make them a viable, real world alternative to fossil fuel generated electricity.

At Low Energy Services, we are installers of Solar Panels, Battery Storage Systems and other Green Energy Solutions across Scotland and the North of England. We offer an extensive portfolio of green energy services. As well as solar panel installers and battery storage system fitters, we can provide a range of green energy solutions covering everything from energy monitoring, control strategy analysis, building heat leakage analysis, design, supply, installation and maintenance of renewable technologies to general advice on how to make your building as efficient as it can be.

Based in Glasgow, we design and install energy capturing and storing systems for businesses who are looking to reap the financial benefits of solar and battery storage solutions while reducing their carbon footprint and lowering their yearly energy costs.

We are experts in the design and installation of solar panels, battery storage and electric car charging systems and have a proven track record for delivering green energy results for businesses looking for bespoke low carbon electricity generating systems. To find out more about how Low Energy Services can benefit your business as you move to greener, cheaper technology, please get in touch.