Solar Has Evolved Tremendously in Just 15 years, and Now Our Team at Renova Energy is Here to Explain Just How!
At Renova Energy, we appreciate the beauty of growth and evolution, and nothing excites us more than witnessing just how much the solar industry has evolved to help residents and business owners save big while reducing their carbon footprints! This month, we’d like to take a trip to the past and admire just how far solar has come in the last 15 years.
Let’s Start 15 Years Back: 2006
This year was nothing short of an evolution for the solar industry. In 2006, the use of polysilicon in photovoltaics exceeded all other use of polysilicon for the first time ever. Polysilicon, also known as polycrystalline silicon, is a form of high-purity silicon. This same year, the California Solar Initiative was approved. This $2.8 billion initiative was responsible for providing the first solar development incentives!
2007
According to research, in 2007, the University of Delaware stated they achieved a new record in solar cell technology, sharing that they had achieved 42.8% solar efficiency. While this statistic is nothing short of amazing, this percentage has not been confirmed by outside sources.
2008
During this year, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), which is part of the United States Department of Energy, started to set yet another record in cell efficiency. To do so, the NREL designed, created, and used a photovoltaic device that converted more than 40% of the light into electricity. According to sources, this impressive feat was reached under the concentrated energy of more than 325 suns.
2010
In 2001, IKAROS, a Japanese aerospace agency, became the first to demonstrate solar sail technological advancement in space using their spacecraft, JAXA, which is short for Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. This same year, President Obama ordered the installation of more solar panels at the White House. He also requested that a solar water heater be installed.
2011
2011 was a massive year for solar panel installations, which was due partially to the rapid growth in solar panel factories in China. Such facilities were responsible for exponentially lowering the cost of China-made solar panels. Thus, installations nearly doubled around the world.
2013
The solar panels which President Obama ordered in 2010 were finally installed in the White House.
2016
In 2016, an American solar panel manufacturer shared that they converted 22.1% of sunlight’s energy into electricity using cells made of cadmium telluride. Now, that technology represents nearly 5% of the world’s solar energy market.
2019
Using what is known as multi-junction concentrator cells, NREL was able to achieve a new world record for solar cell efficiency—coming in at a whopping 47.1%. Additionally, in 2019, nearly 2% of all electricity generated in the US was from solar photovoltaic!
2020
While 2020 came with less favorable surprises for many, it was a pleasant year for the solar industry as well as home and business owners alike. In fact, between January 2020 and May 2020, solar-generated electricity grew by a whopping 23.1% when compared to the same time frame in 2019.
Renova Energy is Proud to Be Part of Solar Energy’s Evolution
Our Coachella Valley, solar energy experts, are proud to be contributors to the evolution of solar! We are committed to our customers and helping them reduce their carbon footprint while also saving on costly utility bills. We know that by doing our part, we continue to be part of the world’s determination to go green and reduce fossil fuel emissions. At Renova Energy, we never stop innovating. We never stop helping. It’s just what we do.
To join in on the evolution of solar, speak with one of our Desert Solar Specialists and find out what you can do to save big and go green! Renova Energy is here for you.
