For technology as cutting edge and innovative as solar power is, it is almost inconceivable that the alternative energy solution could have existed 20 years ago. Perhaps those of you who are old enough to remember having the choice to vote for Jimmy Carter would say fifty years. Regardless, it may come as a shock (pun intended) to most of you that solar-powered electricity has been deployed in its current incarnation since the late 1800s in, of all places, New York City.
We have Charles Fritts to thank. In 1883, though he was only 33 years old, Fritts invented the first Selenium Cell, a device that uses the photovoltaic effect to convert light energy into electricity. The next year, Fritts would contribute his invention to the development of the world's first solar array, which would then be installed on a New York City rooftop. Fritts's efforts were so groundbreaking that even the most sustainable panels on the market today are only about 21-22% efficient compared to his 1-2% panel.
The scope of possibilities for solar power has widened significantly since Fritts's invention. Among the major developments to emerge is the realization of a Grid Free CA. And for those who are skeptics, recognize that the benefits of solar technology are far from dubious; 137 years of use is nothing to sneer at.
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