The History of Solar Power's Rough Beginning

Let's see, solar power's been aroundsteam engine got "steam-rolled" and left to collect
since...well...forever. Solar energy history is andust.
intriguing subject. History says that somewhere inAnd in many ways, solar power has been
the 7th century B. C., solar power was usedremained behind...left in a corner to collect dust.
when someone discovered how to use a glass-likeEven today, with fossil fuels providing more than
substance to concentrate the sun's rays to make85% of all the energy used in the Unites States,
a fire. During the 2nd and 3rd century B.C., thesolar power has had a very difficult time getting a
Greeks and Romans found out how to usefoothold and establishing a position as a major
reflective properties of mirrors to focus sunlightsource of energy. Not until the 1970's was solar,
to create enough heat to light their torches, andor other renewable energy, ever truly considered
the Greeks were able to focus enough sunlighta viable option to fossil fuels. When oil prices rose
from their metal shields to set the Roman's shipsto unprecedented levels, demand far exceeded
on fire.supply and created long lines at gas stations. For
Although our earliest ancestors clearly learned tothe first time, fully realizing the dependency the
use the power of the sun, what they burned withUnited States had on foreign oil supplies, the
the fires they created with a "sun-spark" wasfederal government, under the administration of
wood. Wood as a fuel has been around forJimmy Carter, created tax credits to help develop
millennia. Fortunately for those using it as a sourcealternative energy sources.
of heat, it was readily available. Unfortunately, forHowever, with the vast power and lobbying
the forests necessary to maintain the earth'sefforts of fossil fuel industries, the credits, and
climates, it was readily available, and has beenconditions of developing alternative energy
significantly diminished.sources, were limited. Rather than funding already
Increasing unavailability of wood for heat did,existing research and methods for immediately
however, bring about the discovery of passiveimplementing solar energy for homes and
solar energy between the 1st and 4th century A.businesses, available research and development
D. Both the Greeks and Romans began usingdollars were funneled into large universities and
passive solar energy by putting in large southorganizations and driven to put solar energy
facing windows in bathhouses, public buildings anddevelopment into large utility industrial models,
sunrooms of homes. In America, there israther than individual homes and community
evidence that somewhere around 1200 A. D themodels.
ancestors of the Pueblo people in North AmericaDespite the urgency to do so, energy
also discovered and took advantage of passivedecentralization, solar or otherwise, has not been
solar energy, by living in south-facing cliff dwellingsfunded nor deemed an appropriate path.
to capture the winter sun.Interestingly, both existing and developing
Despite it's availability in many locations, and sometechnology demonstrate decentralized renewable
knowledge of how to capture its benefits forenergy systems are highly viability. Legislation is
heating, sufficient knowledge to truly capture thedesigned to do no more than allow solar...as part
sun's benefits for energy remained largely aof an existing utility industry...to reach parity with
mystery for centuries. Fossil fuels...coal, oil, andfossil fuel energy.
natural gas...on the other hand, have, like wood,However, despite it's rough beginning, and
been shown to have been used for heat and lightcontinuing obstacles, there is no question solar
going back as far as the caveman, with evidenceenergy is becoming a more and more viable
that the Romans burned coal in the 2nd and 3rdoption...with or without government support. As
centuries. However, since fossil fuels weren't asfossil fuels continue to diminish, and get harder,
readily available as wood, their initial usage wasand more expensive, to get out of the ground,
limited. There is also evidence that in America, thesolar energy remains an evident and obvious
Hopi Indians found and burned coal for cooking,possibility. As technology has advanced in both
heating and pottery-making around 1300.active and passive use of solar energy, it is
Coal really made an inroad in production and usebecoming increasingly affordable. At this point, it is
during the Industrial Revolution. When James Watthard to believe that even the most strident
invented the steam engine, he burned coal toindustrial lobbying efforts will be able to stem its
make the steam to run his engine, and coal wasforward movement. At best, lobbyists may be
thereafter "king" in creating energy. In the 1800's,able to direct the majority of solar energy dollars
one of America's symbols of power was itsinto creating large, profitable utility grids.
steam-fired locomotives. Of course, the steamGlobal warming is real. Environmentalists, as well as
for those locomotives came from burning coal.the man on the street can see the climate
The history of using the sun for active solarchanges, and the damage we are doing to our
energy really began in the 1860's. A Frenchenvironment. There may be a debate about
mathematician named August Mouchet created,some of its causes, but breathing clean air and
along with his assistant, a solar-powered steamprotecting the Earth for our ancestors will drive
engine, using the technology that is still used todayus to understand that solar and other renewable
for parabolic dish collectors. The technologyenergy sources are, and will continue to be, the
worked well. With coal-powered steam nowbest option available for the future.
readily available, however, this solar-powered