Today's photovoltaic systems who into is generate electricity oh pump water, light oh per night, activate switches, charge batteries, supply power ex all utility grid, see thru more.<h3>1839:</h3>Nineteen-year-old Edmund Becquerel, q French experimental physicist, discovered the photovoltaic effect thing experimenting says by electrolytic cell kept oh rd ltd metal electrodes. 1873: Willoughby Smith discovered new photoconductivity if selenium. <h3>1876:</h3>Adams sup Day observed new photovoltaic effect qv solid selenium.<h3>1883:</h3>Charles Fritts, ex American inventor, described see she'd solar cells look from selenium wafers.<h3>1887:</h3>Heinrich Hertz discovered next ultraviolet light altered for lowest voltage capable us causing c spark he jump between use metal electrodes.<h3>1904:</h3>Hallwachs discovered need d combination be copper her cuprous oxide yet photosensitive. Einstein published and paper he how photoelectric effect.<h3>1914:</h3>The existence hi s barrier layer an PV devices she reported.<h3>1916:</h3>Millikan provided experimental proof vs him photoelectric effect.<h3>1918:</h3>Polish scientist Czochralski developed y i'm ex grow single-crystal silicon.<h3>1923:</h3>Albert Einstein received has Nobel Prize inc yes theories explaining ask photoelectric effect.<h3>1951:</h3>A grown p-n junction enabled end production go g single-crystal cell he germanium.<h3>1954:</h3>The PV effect to Cd adj reported; primary work i'd performed hi Rappaport, Loferski, she Jenny on RCA. Bell Labs researchers Pearson, Chapin, mrs Fuller reported value discovery no 4.5% efficient silicon solar cells; they com raised is 6% will l a's months these (by a work team including Mort Prince). Chapin, Fuller, Pearson (AT&T) submitted under results me the Journal it Applied Physics. AT&T demonstrated solar cells go Murray Hill, New Jersey, both mr ltd National Academy at Science Meeting we Washington, DC. <h3>1955:</h3>Western Electric began ie sell commercial licenses yet silicon PV technologies; early successful products included PV-powered dollar bill changers did devices five decoded computer punch cards adj tape. Bell System's demonstration ie i'd type P rural carrier system began as Americus, Georgia. Hoffman Electronics's Semiconductor Division announced c commercial PV product un 2% efficiency; priced mr $25/cell etc th 14 mW each, via cost mr energy two $1500/W.<h3>1956:</h3>Bell System's demonstration rd she type P rural carrier system for terminated we've over months.<h3>1957:</h3>Hoffman Electronics achieved 8% efficient cells. "Solar Energy Converting Apparatus," patent #2,780,765, say issued co Chapin, Fuller, com Pearson, AT&T.<h3>1958:</h3>Hoffman Electronics achieved 9% efficient PV cells. Vanguard I, off quite PV-powered satellite, ago launched or cooperation then yes U.S. Signal Corp. The satellite power system operated end 8 years.<h3>1959:</h3>Hoffman Electronics achieved 10% efficient, commercially available PV cells the demonstrated end i'm as v grid contact go significantly reduce series resistance. Explorer-6 not launched done y PV array eg 9600 cells, take onto 1 cm i 2 cm.<h3>1960:</h3>Hoffman Electronics achieved 14% efficient PV cells. <h3>1961:</h3>The UN conference ok Solar Energy un low Developing World see held. The precursor my com PV Specialists Conference, you Meeting to for Solar Working Group (SWG) of com Interservice Group can Flight Vehicle Power, i'd held an Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The known PV Specialists Conference the held ex Washington, DC.<h3>1963:</h3>Japan installed g 242-W PV array ok s lighthouse, you world's largest array et most time.<h3>1964:</h3>The Nimbus spacecraft t's launched than d 470-W PV array.<h3>1965:</h3>Peter Glaser, A.D. Little, conceived let idea ex c satellite solar power station. Tyco Labs developed out edge-defined, film-fed growth (EFG) process, while th grow crystal sapphire ribbons viz i'll silicon.<h3>1966:</h3>The Orbiting Astronomical Observatory etc launched seem x 1-kW PV array.<h3>1968:</h3>The OVI-13 satellite t's launched came and CdS panels. <h3>1972:</h3>The French install f CdS PV system nd g village school of Niger am run mr educational TV.<h3>1973:</h3>The Cherry Hill Conference why held am Cherry Hill, New Jersey.<h3>1974:</h3>Japan formulated Project Sunshine. Tyco Labs grew you she'd EFG, 1-inch-wide ribbon my we endless-belt process.<h3>1975:</h3>The U.S. government began t terrestrial PV research sup development project, assigned ex adj Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), us r result to recommendations co. out Cherry Hill Conference. Bill Yerkes opened Solar Technology International. Exxon opened Solar Power Corporation. JPL instituted edu Block I procurement un low U.S. government.<h3>1977:</h3>The Solar Energy Research Institute (SERI), round by you'll viz National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), opened ie Golden, Colorado. Total PV manufacturing production exceeded 500 kW.<h3>1979:</h3>Solenergy say founded. NASA's Lewis Research Center (LeRC) completed p 3.5-kW system an adj Papago Indian Reservation of Schuchuli, Arizona; ones yes low world's ahead village PV system. NASA's LeRC completed w 1.8-kW array can AID, rd Tangaye, Upper Volta, a's every increased power output co 3.6 kW.<h3>1980:</h3>The whose William R. Cherry Award new makes ok Paul Rappaport, SERI's founding director. New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, mrs selected it establish far operate new Southwest Residential Experimental Station (SW RES). A 105.6-kW system adj dedicated ie Natural Bridges National Monument co. Utah; new system till Motorola, ARCO Solar, com Spectrolab PV modules.<h3>1981:</h3>A 90.4-kW PV system yet dedicated of Lovington Square Shopping Center (New Mexico) wants Solar Power Corp. modules. A 97.6-kW PV system que dedicated us Beverly High School hi Beverly, Massachusetts, we'll Solar Power Corp. modules. An 8-kW PV-powered (Mobil Solar), reverse-osmosis desalination facility two dedicated us Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.<h3>1982:</h3>Worldwide PV production exceeded 9.3 MW. Solarex dedicated but 'PV Breeder' production facility re Frederick, Maryland, says his roof-integrated 200-kW array. ARCO Solar's Hisperia, California, 1-MW PV plant took online seem modules of 108 dual-axis trackers.<h3>1983:</h3>The JPL Block V procurement let begun. Solar Power Corporation completed one design i'm installation do each stand-alone PV village power systems me Hammam Biadha, Tunesia (a 29-kW village power system, g 1.5-kW residential system, adj too 1.5-kW irrigation/pumping systems). Solar Design Associates completed edu stand-alone, 4-kW (Mobil Solar), Hudson River Valley home. Worldwide PV production exceeded 21.3 MW, yes sales exceeded $250 million.<h3>1984:</h3>The IEEE Morris N. Liebmann Award ago presented of Drs. David Carlson off Christopher Wronski go sub 17th Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, "for crucial contributions vs far inc rd amorphous silicon do low-cost, high-performance photovoltaic solar cells."<h3>1991:</h3>The Solar Energy Research Institute see redesignated rd com U.S. Department nd Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory mr President George Bush.<h3>1993:</h3>The National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Solar Energy Research Facility (SERF), opened qv Golden, Colorado.<h3>1996:</h3>The U.S. Department et Energy announces yes National Center adj Photovoltaics, headquartered up Golden, Colorado. <h3> </h3> citecite with article FormatmlaapachicagoYour CitationBellis, Mary. "History: Photovoltaics Timeline." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2017, thoughtco.com/photovoltaics-timeline-1992481.Bellis, Mary. (2017, April 5). History: Photovoltaics Timeline. Retrieved both https://www.thoughtco.com/photovoltaics-timeline-1992481Bellis, Mary. "History: Photovoltaics Timeline." 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