In one of Thomas Edison's most famous quotes, he stated: "I'd put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don't have to wait till oil and coal run out before we tackle that."

Photovoltaic Facts

• Photovoltaics is the direct conversion of sunlight into electricity
• 1839, the photovoltaic effect was discovered by a 19-year-old named Edmund Becquerel
• 1880, Alexander Graham Bell transmitted his voice over a reflected sunbeam using the photovoltaic effect
• 1954, the age of modern solar cells began at Bell Labs with the fabrication of the first silicon solar cell. The original solar panels made there in the 1950's are still working today!