Background information
I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait 'til oil and coal run out before we tackle that.
Thomas Edison, 1931
Solar irradiaton in Germany
Overall the intake of a photovoltaic system is determined by the solar irradiation on location. The higher the irradiation by the sun the greater the yield of power by
your photovoltaic system.
...and in Austria
Austria with its particularly favored Alpine region guarantees
profitable earnings due to the high irradiation by the sun.
History of photovoltaics
1839
Becquerel discovered the photoelectric effect - the history of photovoltaics begins.
1876
Adams and Day prove the photoelectric effect of a selenium crystal - electricity is generated from light for the first time.
1904
Through research of the photo effect Hallwachs lays the foundation for the development of photo cells, the photo electricity and light-quantum hypothesis.
1905
Einstein explains the photoelectric effect.
1918
Czochalski develops a procedure for manufacturing mono-crystalline materials.
1921
Einstein receives the Nobel prize for his illustration of the photoelectric effect.
1954
Chapin, Fuller, and Pearson produce the first silicon cells (efficiency factor 4%).
1956
Beginning of the terrestrial application for the relay station of a telephone circuit in Georgia.
1958
The first satellite equipped with solar cells is sent into space.
1976
The first amorphous silicon solar cells are manufactured.
1977
The global photovoltaic production exceeds 500 kW.
1983
The first German and largest European photovoltaic power plant with a capacity of 300 kW starts trial operations on the island of Pellworm.
1991
The Grid Feed-in law becomes effective in Germany. The minimum compensation is 8,49 Cent/kWh of solar power. This leads to the installation of the first solar systems
for domestic use (1-5 kWh). The worldwide first photovoltaic facade is built in Aachen.
1992
E.ON Bavaria outfits a permanently inhabited location with a self-sufficient off-grid solar power supply system in Flanitzhütte for the first time in Europe.
1994
As part of its project "sun at school" E.ON Bavaria gradually equips 544 Bavarian schools with construction kits to set up their own photovoltaic systems
for learning and teaching purposes. E.ON Bavaria begins "citzens for solar power", a public participation plant in Unterföhring by Munich.
1997
The worlds largest photovoltaic on-roof installation with 1 MW takes up operation atop of the Munich Convention Center. A total of 14 MW of solar power systems are
installed in Germany.
1999
The accumulated worldwide photovoltaic capacity reaches 1,000 MW.
2000
The German Renewable Energy Sources Act (EEG) goes into effect.
2002
The accumulated worldwide photovoltaic capacity reaches 2,000 MW.
2004
The accumulated worldwide photovoltaic capacity reaches 4,000 MW.
2007
The solar roof at the exhibition Munich in Munich-Riem has been in operation for 10 years. During this time almost 10 million kWh of solar electricity have been
fed into the power network and 6,500 t CO² emissions have been avoided.
Read full article: BloombergNEF
