The discovery of photovoltaic panels

Solar panels are devices that convert sunlight directly into electricity. Since their principle of operation is based on photoeffect, they are sometimes also called solar photovoltaic (PV) panels. Although the photoelectric effect was discovered in 1887 by the German physicist Heinrich Hertz,, it was explained in 1905 by Albert Einstein.

Today, solar panels are one of the fastest growing renewable energy technologies. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, in 2022, the global installed capacity in solar energy amounted to 1053 GW, of which 1046 GW is accounted for solar panel technology.