ABSTRACT
The successful utilization of photovoltaic (PV) cells to supply the
electric needs of satellites used for various purposes gave the
idea and an assurance that PV could also be used successfully
for large scale terrestrial applications. The obvious problem was
that at that time the price of PV cells made for the satellites
was about $300/Wp.a By 1972, several of the US government
organizations, which had needs for telecommunication in remote
areas, decided to try to use PV systems to power those equipment.
The two US manufacturers of solar cells and panels for space use,
Heliotek (Spectrolab) and Centralab, both located in California, were
contacted to supply PV cells connected in a module to provide 12 V
dc power. Obviously the price of the space solar cells at that timewas
still over $100/Wp and therefore to use them for these terrestrial
applications was not feasible, only PV cells which were rejects for
space could be used. The amount of these rejects were not much
and only a very few experimental telecommunication systems were
made.
