Who doesn’t appreciate something for nothing? The universal appetite for a freebie is perhaps why the use of solar power has mushroomed lately – according to Sheffield University, it provides 6.4 per cent of annual electricity generation in the UK, and as of mid-2026, 1.5m British homes had solar panels installed. Against the backdrop of soaring energy prices and with the on-going financial squeeze, any way to bank some savings is especially welcome.
Solar panels may seem like a relatively new invention, but the very first solar cell was made back in 1883 by American inventor Charles Fritts, who coated selenium in a thin layer of gold before installing it on a NYC rooftop where it could catch the most light. His experiment collected about one per cent of energy.
