Surprisingly, solar energy dates back to the 7th century BC, when humans used sunlight to light fires with glass or mirrors. By the 3rd century BC, the Greeks and Romans were using “burning mirrors” to ignite torches for religious ceremonies.

Solar power as we know it began taking shape in the 1800s, when scientists discovered how to convert sunlight into electricity.

In 1839, French physicist Edmond Becquerel discovered the photovoltaic effect, the foundation of modern solar electricity generation.

Between 1873 and 1876, Willoughby Smith and William Grylls Adams found that selenium produced electricity when exposed to light.

In 1883, Charles Fritts built the first solar cell resembling modern designs, using selenium and gold. However, its efficiency was less than 1%.

By 1954, Bell Labs had developed the first practical silicon solar cell, achieving about 6% efficiency.

In 1958, the Vanguard I satellite became the first spacecraft powered by solar energy.

During the 1970s, the oil crisis spurred renewed interest in alternative energy, including solar power. By the 1980s, solar energy was appearing frequently in articles and science fiction—concepts that were slowly becoming reality. Around this time, some homeowners even built makeshift wind towers and experimented with small-scale renewable systems.

From the 2000s to the 2010s, solar power became much cheaper and more efficient, with China playing a major role in driving down manufacturing costs.

Today, solar energy is the fastest-growing power source worldwide and a major contributor to home energy systems—helping offset carbon emissions and support a cleaner future.