Solar Photovoltaics: A Brief History of Technologies [History]

In the present century, solar energy has emerged as an important source of nonconventional energy to meet the energy demand for overall development of a nation. The use of solar energy for human development is not a new discovery but instead is a century-old tradition. As the demand for clean energy sources increases, the importance of the development of efficient photovoltaic (PV) cells is in demand. Here we examine the utilization of solar energy in the initial stage, the rise of PV development in the present era, and different kinds of PV cells with their merits and demerits.