From Space to Earth: The Story of Solar Electricity

From Space to Earth:

by John Perlin. Aatec Publications, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1999. Hardcover, 240 pages, $32.

From a co-author of

A Golden Thread: 2500 Years of Solar Architecture and Technology, this book follows in the same vein with a fascinating, fun-to-read, historical account of the unfolding of the photovoltaics (PV) industry.

From Space to Earth begins with a quick review of efforts and frustrations in trying to cost-effectively generate electricity from sunlight via

thermal energy, then covers in detail the discovery and harnessing of photovoltaics—the

direct conversion of sunlight into electricity.

While the photoelectric effect was discovered in the 1800s, it was not until 1953 at Bell Laboratories in New Jersey that electricity-generating PV cells emerged out of that discovery. For a while, PV cells languished on the researchers’ shelves—an interesting idea without an application—but then the space program came along. The space race created a need for PVs and demonstrated their reliability and potential.

From Space to Earth traces the use of PVs in space, then follows the step-like emergence of terrestrial applications as dropping PV prices opened up new markets: warning lights on offshore oil drilling platforms, cathodic protection in oil pipelines, Coast Guard signal buoys, railroad signaling devices, microwave repeater stations, and remote power for rural Third World villagers. With each of these applications, we learn about some of the key players and hear some of the behind-the-scenes stories that brought PVs into these markets.

Near the end of the book is one of the best chapters: “Better Cells, Cheaper Cells,” which very clearly explains how PV cells work by tracing the evolution of technologies and manufacturing—right up to the present. By providing this complex information in a story-like fashion, Perlin makes it very understandable and highly interesting. He clearly did his homework.

From Space to Earth is well worth the read, especially for anyone involved with specifying or installing PV equipment.