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The photovoltaic effect, direct conversion of sunlight into electricity, was first observed in 1839 by the French physicist Edmond Bequerel. For more than 100 years, scientists experimented with different materials, trying to find a practical use for this phenomenon. In the 1950’s scientists at Bell Telephone developed the first reasonably efficient solar cell from silicon. Since 1958, PV Systems have been the chosen source of energy for space applications. By 1975, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was using nearly 1 million photovoltaic cells a year.

The Canadian Coast Guard was the first major user of this technology in Canada. After an intensive testing program in the 1970’s, the Coast Guard began in 1981 to convert its land-based navigational beacons over to photovoltaic energy. To date, the Coast Guard has more than 1,500 stand-alone photovoltaic marking and warning systems in operation.