One argument put forward in defense of fossil fuels is that they were a historical necessity, because there was no other viable substitute for much of the 20th century. We owe fossil fuels a debt of gratitude, the argument goes, because they supercharged our development. But what if I told you there was a viable alternative, and that it may have been sabotaged by fossil fuel interests from its very inception?

The first commercial PV solar product was nah just in 1909.

See story above, and original article in Modern Electrics magazine in 1909:

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015051407073

EDIT

Since people didn’t read past the headline, the article is about a startup company in 1905 that developed a commercial electrical solar panel by 1909 and was worth 160 million in today’s money.

In 1909, the inventor of the solar panel was kidnapped and ordered by his kidnappers to destroy all information about this solar panel. He was eventually released, although he did not destroy the solar panel or his documentation, he did shut down his company.

So this is a pretty fascinating development considering that at this time period we actually did have early production electric cars that were manufactured in larger quantities than gas vehicles, and now we learn that solar panels were commercially available, at least for a short time.

And the solar panels could generate a fair amount of electricity:

500 volts per 10 square ft, and a smaller demonstration panel that was 3 ft x 4 ft could generate 60 watts of power (10 volts @6 amps).

Additionally, the panels were designed to charge a battery backup system.

  • HappycamperNZ@lemmy.worldEnglish
    32·
    1 year ago

    Likey also didn’t contain rare earth minerals - no where near as effective but could have been less damaging and easier to make.

    Then again, could have been a combination of arsenic, asbestos and cocaine so who knows.

    • ∟⊔⊤∦∣≶@lemmy.nzEnglish
      14·
      1 year ago

      I was too curious:

      Cove’s device was a sort of thermocouple, and thus not based on newly-discovered natural processes or scientific principles. In the patent application the device was described as follows: A thermo-electric battery and appurtenances comprising a block of incombustible, non-conductive material, a series of pairs of elements comprising a plurality of elements formed of an alloy of antinomy and zinc, and a plurality of elements connecting said antinomy and zinc elements, said elements connecting said first-mentioned elements being alternatively of copper and of an alloy of nickel, copper and zinc.

      https://journals.lib.unb.ca/index.php/MCR/article/view/17744/22231

      • HappycamperNZ@lemmy.worldEnglish
        10·
        1 year ago

        No such thing as too curious… unless you are a cat. Little dangerous there.

        If im reading this correctly, and translated to english:

        • non conductive block

        • two different alloys - zinc and opposite to zinc (antinomy) v copper and nickle/copper/zinc.

        • assuming light hits, produces difference between metal and opposite metal, results in current flow through wire to equalize. Not sure how rare earth Nickle and zinc are, but suppose its not cobalt.

            • belathus@bookwormstory.socialEnglish
              7·
              1 year ago

              The device you’re thinking of might be a peltier or thermoelectric cooler (TEC). But yes. They’re way less efficient than a vapor compression refrigerator, though.

                • HappycamperNZ@lemmy.worldEnglish
                  2·
                  1 year ago

                  Looks like you are also a kiwi (that or an AI bot cus i see you everywhere) so probably in an electric chilibin- the reverse effect can be used to cool one plate of metal and heat up the other side.

                  • ∟⊔⊤∦∣≶@lemmy.nzEnglish
                    1·
                    1 year ago

                    The whole internet is AI bots bro. You’re the only real human here.

                    If I was a human though, I would be Kiwi. Kia ora!

                    Yeah, I think that’s what I was thinking of.

                • dogslayeggs@lemmy.worldEnglish
                  1·
                  1 year ago

                  You are thinking of a thermo-electric cooler (TEC) or peltier cooler. They actually are used on smaller wine fridges but not full sized fridges. They are light-weight, electrically efficient, and reliable. They were also used in the early days of CPU overclocking.

            • CookieOfFortune@lemmy.worldEnglish
              3·
              1 year ago

              Like the very small fridges that work for a single soda can? Refrigerators use the liquid/gas transition to move heat around. It’s much more efficient.

              The only real advantage of Peltiers are simplicity and size.

            • CookieOfFortune@lemmy.worldEnglish
              6·
              1 year ago

              Basically when there’s a temperature difference been two different metals that are touching a small current is produced. You can also go backwards and use electricity to create a temperature difference (Peltier Effect).

              They have niche applications because the effect is pretty small. Hardly a realistic substitute for solar panels that use the photovoltaic effect.

              • HappycamperNZ@lemmy.worldEnglish
                1·
                1 year ago

                Does this mean - in theory - I can put one metal plate out in sun, one in shade, connect with a wire? Or is it a contact surface area thing?

                • ∟⊔⊤∦∣≶@lemmy.nzEnglish
                  4·
                  1 year ago

                  Pretty sure they have to be together like a creme biscuit. You can’t put one plate on the equator and one in Antarctica and generate infinite electricity

                • CookieOfFortune@lemmy.worldEnglish
                  1·
                  1 year ago

                  Sure that does work but it’s not efficient.

                  Thermal solar generators do exist but they use a liquid as a heat transport mechanism. These use mirrors to focus the sun into a single point. In general you get more efficiency when there’s a larger temperature difference.

                  You could also get infinite energy by digging a deep hole since it gets hotter there deeper you dig. It’s just pretty expensive.