Page 83 - ISES SWC50

7.6 Solar Architecture Buildings 1970-1979

1973
• The University of Delaware, under the direction of Karl Boer and Maria Telkes, builds “Solar One,” one
of the world’s first photovoltaic (PV) powered residences. The system is a PV/thermal hybrid. The roof-
integrated arrays fed surplus power through a special meter to the utility during the day and purchased
power from the utility at night. In addition to electricity, the arrays acted as flat-plate thermal collectors,
with fans blowing the warm air from over the array to phase-change heat-storage bins. It is also the first
instance of building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV).

1974
• Britain’s first active solar space heated house in Milton Keynes was opened.

1978
• MIT Solar V was erected in 1978 on the MIT campus and used as an experimental studio/classroom by
the Department of Architecture. Unlike the first four solar houses, Solar V did not require mechanical
equipment such as solar collectors, pumps or fans: all elements of solar heating were incorporated into the
building materials.

1979
• Dr Doug Balcomb builds “Unit One” in Sante Fe New Mexico. 80%of its heating and cooling comes from
Solar. It is known as “Unit One” because it is the first dwelling in a planned environmental community
called First Village. Dr Balcomb was chair of American Solar Energy Society in 1979 and 1980.
• Steven Strong completed several passive solar buildings with integrated PV systems. This has become
mainstream in the 21st century in particularly but not exclusively in the developed world.

7.7 PV in Developing Countries 1970-1979

Using solar to provide power, particularly lighting, for the billions of people without access to electricity
was one of the first markets identified when the solar manufacturers started in the 1970s. One other key
application was water pumping for the villages. The 1970s saw these markets being explored. International
bodies like UNDP, EU Commission and others identify solar as a potential power source for unelectrified
regions, in particular with d.c. solar home systems (SHS) that provided lighting and some services such as
radio and sometimes television.

In the early 70s
• Yves Houssin from Paris was supplying school TV in villages in French speaking West Africa. To save
having to replace batteries every few weeks he introduced solar power for charging the batteries.
• Patrick Jourde from the French Atomic Energy commission based in French Polynesia is given the task to
provide electricity to the outer atolls and islands. G.I.E. Solar was established to assemble the components
to provide solar power to a house including development of some energy efficient appliances. The systems
sold from $2000 to $10,000 but there was a 20% subsidy and 5-year loans offered.

1973
• Dominique Campana, a graduate student in Paris in the 1970s, came up with the idea of applying solar
cells to pump water. French physicist Jean Roger translated her concept into a working prototype on the
Island of Corsica.

1976
• The NASA Lewis Research Centre started installing 83 photovoltaic power systems using solar modules
produced by Spectrolab on every continent except Australia. These systems provided such diverse
applications as vaccine refrigeration, room lighting, medical clinic lighting, telecommunications, water
pumping, grain milling, and classroom television. The Centre completed the project in 1995, working on it
from 1976-1985 and then again from 1992-1995.

ISES SWC50 - The Century of Solar-Stories and Visions | 65