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Solar Energy History Has Been a Long and Winding RoadAncient Origins Many of us assume that the solar energy movement began in the 1970s when America was in the grips of an energy crisis. With gas being unavailable and the country being left with no alternative forms of energy, people were interested in alternative power at that time. However, solar energy history goes back much further than that. Solar energy history actually began with the ancient Romans and Greeks, who used passive solar energy to heat their homes. Some homes were covered in glass on the south side, where most of the sunlight would hit. The glass helped to hold the warmth of the sunlight in, thus effectively becoming the first passive heating system in solar energy history. Industrial Rebels Solar energy history was again made by a few forward-thinking engineers and scientists during the Industrial Revolution, when the country's dependence on fossil fuels was being encouraged and cemented into the culture. These engineers and scientists realized that it was foolish to build an entire economy based on a fuel that would eventually run out forever. They carefully tested and planned out alternative energy plans, but the fossil fuel rush all but drowned them out. Their ideas were relegated to the solar energy history books for many years to come. Flower Power In the 1970s, the need for solar history was again realized. The lack of access to fossil fuels for that short time reminded the nation that we were completely dependent on oil products. Without any alternative sources of energy, the country was paralyzed. Although the crisis did not last long, it did encourage the US government to invest in the development of alternative fuels. Today, the results of that research are affordable solar fuel cells. Unfortunately, the price is still not low enough to effectively compete with fossil fuels on a large scale. Solar energy also faces the difficult problem of integration: our lives are built around the use of fossil fuels, and changing that now would mean drastic changes in the way that our lives operate. Homes, businesses, and industries are all affected by the waning oil supply. We are currently researching new forms of energy, but will they be viable for widespread use in the future? Only time will tell if we can adopt and embrace alternative energies. |
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