| Far from being a new technology the history of the | | | | Exposition in Chicago. He found that it was warm |
| use of solar power obtained from the sun is as old as | | | | inside on bright, but cold winter days despite there |
| time itself. Harnessing the sun's power is a natural way | | | | being no provision for heating. Keck began |
| in which to convert that power into some useful | | | | incorporating south facing windows in his designs for |
| energy, from a plant using photosynthesis, to modern | | | | other houses which increased his knowledge of the |
| photovoltaic cells. One cannot begin to explain how | | | | abilities of solar power. In 1940 he was able to design |
| humans have harnessed this most common of energy | | | | the very first passive solar house in the USA for a |
| sources without first referring to the ancient civilisations. | | | | developer called Howard Sloan, who in turn built a |
| It would appear that the ancient Greeks and Romans | | | | number of such houses throughout the 1940's. His |
| actually built solar power design features into their | | | | efforts in this area certainly influenced a number of |
| buildings to utilise the sun's rays for heating, both water | | | | other builders in the post was building boom and he is |
| and the interior. But consider even earlier cultures who | | | | credited with the first use and popularising the term |
| have used solar power to light up dark interiors even | | | | 'solar' to describe these houses. Unfortunately there |
| by reflecting the suns rays in very specific directions. | | | | was misunderstanding which lead to houses being built |
| Solar power has also been used to bring about great | | | | facing away from the southern exposure required for |
| victories over superior foes. There is a legend of the | | | | the solar power to work. This did have an effect on |
| Trojans using a large concave glass to concentrate | | | | their popularity and contributed to a decline in public |
| the sun's rays on the wooden ships of their Achaean | | | | interest in the technology by 1950. |
| enemies, which subsequently burst into flames. | | | | It took the 1973 oil crisis to enliven the debate about |
| However, the modern research into solar power has | | | | alternative technologies for fuel and energy. Solar |
| not focused on such destructiveness. The first 'solar' | | | | power was seen as a forerunner of the new wave of |
| houses were built after WW1 in the industrial Ruhr | | | | alternative reusable and sustainable energy sources |
| area of Germany. Although not at all popular at first, | | | | and still is today. Recent developments in the |
| there did continue to be some study of them carried | | | | efficiency of photovoltaic cells have meant that solar |
| out in the USA, but the technology did not catch the | | | | power technology is being used in all manner of things |
| public's imagination at that time due to the relative | | | | and less sunlight is required to produce enough energy |
| cheap cost of carbon fuels and the mistaken belief of | | | | to both power and store for later release. There is little |
| their inexhaustibility. | | | | doubt that solar power is here to stay and can only |
| In 1933, designer George F Keck designed a house | | | | become more accessible as the technology matures. |
| made completely of glass for the Century of Progress | | | | |