Fun Solar Facts

  1. Solar energy has been used for about 3000 years. Around the 7th century B.C. magnifying glasses were used to concentrate the sun’s rays to make fire and burn ants.
  2. The Greeks and Romans were the first to use solar energy in their designs, by building south facing windows in their homes that allowed the sun to heat and light indoor spaces. Around 212 B.B, during the invasion of Syracuse, Archimedes, the Greek scientist, used reflections from bronze shields to focus sunlight onto wooden Roman ships and set fire to them.
  3. The speed of light is 186,000 miles per second. Though the sun is 92.96 million miles from the earth, this means it takes less than 10 minutes for light from the sun the travel to the earth.
  4. Solar panels first appeared on the market in 1956.
  5. Solar energy is measured in kilowatt hours. 1 kW is equal to 1000 watts.
  6. The oil crisis during the 1970s illustrated how unstable fossil fuels can be as a source of energy for the world. This propelled the investigation of renewable energy technology during which solar power gained momentum.
  7. Solar energy produces no pollution and helps combat the Greenhouse effect on the global climate created by fossil fuels.
  8. Solar energy is proving to be a major source of renewable energy providing potential and long-term advantages. The sun was formed almost five million years ago and is expected to shine for at least another five million years, so it is our most stable and best source of renewable energy.
  9. In 2014, solar energy only provided .39% of the energy used in the United States (US Energy Information Administration – EIA), however the solar industry is projected to grow by 20-40% per year for the next 10 years.
  10. As of 2015, Connecticut is tenth in the nation for installed solar PV.

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