| Ever wished you could win more games of Trivial | | | | of dark surfaces. But to get water to the point of |
| Pursuit? Or go on a long winning streak of some trivial | | | | boiling, all you need is one of those handy little solar |
| game show? Well, you have to start your trivial | | | | cookers from the 18th century. Or, you can get a full |
| knowledge somewhere, so how about we give you | | | | solar oven if you'd rather. The solar oven was |
| some interesting facts about solar energy for your first | | | | invented in 1830 by John Herschel, an astronomer. |
| category? Let the facts begin. | | | | Are Einstein's photovoltaic panels still in use today? |
| Which country uses the most solar energy? | | | | No, but kind of yes. Photovoltaic solar panels are still |
| If you guessed the United States, you're wrong. Britain? | | | | used today, but in the 1950s they were given a silicon |
| Nope, try again. Brazil? Not yet. Germany? Bingo. | | | | base and became much more efficient than they had |
| Ethiopia? Germany was the right answer. | | | | been when Einstein was doing his research. Silicon is a |
| In spite of its location way up above the equator and | | | | product of the seemingly unlimited resource we call |
| its relatively small population, Germany currently uses | | | | sand. It only takes 1 ton of silicon to produce enough |
| more solar energy than any other country. That blows | | | | photovoltaic cells to make as much electrical energy |
| holes in the common assumptions made in the | | | | as can be made from 500,000 tons of coal. Further, |
| northern states that solar energy isn't a plausible local | | | | you don't make all kinds of air pollutants when you use |
| energy solution. | | | | silicon based photovoltaic solar panels, as you of |
| Was Albert Einstein involved with solar energy? | | | | course do make when you burn fossil fuels for |
| Of course, he was! Did you think the guy who defined | | | | electricity production. |
| the equation for energy wouldn't know the facts about | | | | How has inflation affected the cost of photovoltaic |
| solar energy? In fact, though his work in solar energy | | | | panels? |
| was overshadowed by things like relativity and nuclear | | | | Are you kidding? After all of that hyperinflation during |
| weapons, it had a large part to do with his Nobel | | | | the 1970s? Actually, photovoltaic panels cost about |
| Peace Prize for Science in 1921. Albert Einstein in fact | | | | 200% less than they did in the 1970s and are in some |
| was responsible for numerous solar experiments with | | | | cases twice as efficient at the conversion of solar |
| early photovoltaic solar panels. The only question is | | | | energy into electricity as they were in the 1970s. So |
| whether this is what made his hair stand up in all | | | | you get about four times as much electricity for your |
| directions. | | | | money from photovoltaic panels now. Sounds like |
| Can raw solar energy, without any sort of power cells, | | | | hyper deflation to me. Seriously, it is just a matter of |
| really boil water? | | | | improved photovoltaic production technology. |
| Yes, it can. In fact, we've even known how to do it for | | | | So there you go! You have now mastered some |
| a long time. In Africa, scientists have taught people | | | | facts about solar energy that might come in handy |
| how to sterilize water bottles by placing them on top | | | | during your next game of Trivial Pursuit. |