Bell Labs produces solar PV for the U.S. Government.
Western Electric later licenses solar cells and solar for $1,800 per watt.
Efficiencies increase form 2% to 13%.
Costs over $1,000 to under $100 per watt/
OPEC Oil Crisis
Carter Administration focuses on domestic energy production
Puts PV on White House
Creates National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Average world oil prices fall by 50%
Reagan takes PV off the White House.
Increased demand for PV in Japan, Germany, Israel - leads to Kyoto Protocol.
U.S. States become proactive: utility deregulation and Clean Energy Fund.
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.
Photovoltaic(PV) systems convert sunlight directly to electricity. They work any time the sun is shining, but more electricity is produced when the sunlight is more intense and strikes the PV modules directly (as when rays of sunlight are perpendicular to the PV modules).
Electrons freed by the interaction of sunlight with semiconductor materials in PV cells are captured in an electric current.
PV allows you to produce electricity without noise or air pollution - from a clean renewable source. A PV system never runs out of fuel, and it won't increase U.S. oil imports.
The basic building block of PV technology is the solar "cell."
Multiple PV cells are connected to form a PV "module," the smallest PV component sold commercially. Modules range in power output from about 10 watts to 300 watts. A PV system connected or "tied" to the utility grid has these components:
One or more PV modules, which are connected to an inverter
Ther inverter, which converts the system's direct-current(DC) electricity to alternating(AC)
AC electricity is compatible with the utility grid. It powers out lights, appliances, computers and televisions.
