Solar Energy : A Tale

People tend to think that solar power is a recent discovery, harnessed through the invention of photovoltaic cells. But it is nevertheless true that the sun has always been an extremely important place in our lives, ever since the emergence of humanity. Indeed, long before the discovery of fire, the only way to keep warm was to sun exposure. As for solar energy, without it, no plants could grow, making it an indispensable element to grow food, whether for our own consumption, or to feed animals which serve also to food human. It is for this reason that the solar orb was the object of veneration in many of history, particularly among pre-Columbian civilizations or Celtic.

The first event demonstrating the use of the sun for purposes other than passive, which is attributed to Archimedes in 212 BC, burned a Roman fleet using mirrors of polished bronze, used to concentrate sunlight. It has also continued to use this system of concentrated solar heat to melt metals, or even to provide the heat necessary to operate a steam locomotive. Even today, they still use solar cookers, and most powerful in the world, finished building in 1970, is located in the Pyrenees Orientales, Font Romeu Odeillo.

Since using the sun for its warmth, a landmark discovery occurred in the late nineteenth century: that of the photovoltaic cell. But it was not until the 1970s for a commercial real solar panels is growing.

Today, everyone agrees that the production of electricity using solar energy is the future, and there is no doubt that the price of solar energy are becoming more profitable compared to heating means such as fuel. Indeed, the rise in oil prices led to even consider prototypes of cars powered by solar energy. In everyday life, individuals are turning increasingly to the many solar alternatives, whether for heating, for water heaters, or even for domestic electricity, the prices of the latter also experiencing a steady increase .

Beyond its practicality and the fact that once the initial installation amortized, solar energy is free, more and more people are concerned about the environmental aspects of our lifestyle. Indeed, produce electricity and energy is not without a major impact on the ecological and solar energy provides a clean solution without question and sustainable for our electricity needs. We are now far from the astronomical cost posed by the installation of a water heater and solar energy production there is still a few years, and manufacturers compete to integrate in our solar daily, even on a smaller scale, offering solar chargers for mobile phones, mp3 players, or even solar panels to take camping to power a computer or other equipment necessary for everyday life.