Bell Labs produces solar PV for the U.S. Government.
Western Electric later licenses solar cells and solar for $1,800 per watt.
1950's
Efficiencies increase from 2% to 13%.
1960's
Costs drop from $1,000 per watt to under a $100 per watt
1970's
OPEC Oil Crisis
Carter Administration focuses on domestic energy production
Puts PV on White House
Creates National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
1980's
Average world oil prices fall by 50%
Reagan takes PV off the White House.
1990's
Increased demand for PV in Japan, Germany, Israel - leads to Kyoto Protocol.
U.S. States become proactive: utility deregulation and Clean Energy Fund.
2000's
Germany, Spain, Japan, U.S. become top producers of solar electric renewable energy.
Government mandates will force utilities and companies to comply with 20% renewable energy production by 2012.
Federal and state incentives become more readily available.
2010's
There are now over 22,700 MW of cumulative solar electric capacity operating in the U.S., enough to power more than 4.6 million average American homes.
The 3,727 PV systems at U.S. schools have a combined electric capacity of 490 MW, and generate roughly 642,000 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity every year.