ABSTRACT
The research for space application of solar cells began in the USA, but by 1973 when the terrestrial industry was started, the level of space-oriented solar cell research was the same in the USA and in Europe. Europe had excellent research teams working on projects for space solar cells but did not specifically work on how to adapt solar cells for terrestrial use and put this into mass production until about 1980.230The need for terrestrial solar systems in the USA and in Europe was very different. I considered this issue many times and finally came to the conclusion that while in Europe the countries were well served with power lines and only small areas had no electricity, in the USA where the distance between the Atlantic and the Pacific coast, for example between New York and San Francisco is 4126 km (2564 miles), and also adding to it the vast area of Alaska and a coastline 230Palz W (May, 11-15, 1981) Photovoltaic Outlook from European Comm-
of 142,640 km (88,633 miles),231 there was a great need for electricity for communication, meteorology, navigation, etc., in areas where the electric grid was not even near. This provided great business opportunities for the terrestrial applications of solar cells. In addition, the Carter administration in the 1970s established a large budget to support the utilization of solar energy for terrestrial applications.
