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Low-Cost Solar Electric Power pp 1–12Cite as

History of Solar Cell Development

Abstract

It has been 175 years since 1839 when Alexandre Edmond Becquerel observed the photovoltaic (PV) effect via an electrode in a conductive solution exposed to light [1]. It is instructive to look at the history of PV cells [2] since that time because there are lessons to be learned that can provide guidance for the future development of PV cells.

Keywords

  • Alexandre Edmond Becquerel
  • Photovoltaics (PV)
  • Selenium cell
  • Copper and copper oxide cell
  • Einstein’s photon theory
  • Czochralski crystal growth
  • Bell labs silicon cell
  • Telstar communication satellite
  • Arab oil embargo
  • AlGaAs/GaAs solar cell
  • InGaP/GaInAs/Ge triple junction cell
  • Amorphous silicon (a-Si) solar cell
  • Public utility regulation act (PURPA)
  • National renewable energy lab (NREL)
  • InGaP/GaAs two junction cell
  • GaAs/GaSb stacked cell
  • Photovoltaic advanced space power (PASP+) flight
  • Concentrator photovoltaics (CPV)
  • GaSb infrared cells

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  1. JX Crystals Inc., Bellevue, WA, USA

    Lewis M. Fraas

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  1. Lewis M. Fraas
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Fraas, L.M. (2014). History of Solar Cell Development. In: Low-Cost Solar Electric Power. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07530-3_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07530-3_1

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