It was in 1956 when the first commercial solar cell was made available to the public at a very expensive $300 / watt. It was being used in radios and toys by then.
The space programs started to employ solar technology in 1958 when the “Vanguard I” was launched with the first satellite using solar energy to generate electricity. No doubt that the spatial programs were challenging for creativity as the sun is the only source of energy in space.
The Energy Crisis of the seventies awaked the need to find alternative sources of energy not to be fully dependent on finite resources (coal, oil and gas). Solar energy cells dropped dramatically to about $20 / watt.
Today the use of solar energy is progressing rapidly and new business is being developed around this renewable energy. Many Governments on developed and emerging countries have worked out their financial solutions through subventions and Feed in Tariffs to incentivise its commercial use. The cost is now $ 1 / watt and will continue to drop as new innovative technologies are created.
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