Silicone solar cell demonstration unit

Made:
circa 1971 in Oldham
Ferranti silicon solar cell demonstration unit designed by Alan Ferranti silicon solar cell demonstration unit designed by Alan Ferranti silicon solar cell demonstration unit designed by Alan

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Ferranti silicon solar cell demonstration unit designed by Alan
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Ferranti silicon solar cell demonstration unit designed by Alan
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Ferranti silicon solar cell demonstration unit designed by Alan
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Ferranti silicon solar cell demonstration unit designed by Alan Bardsley c.1971

This object gives an insight into the early microcircuit and solar power industry in the UK.

Engineers and scientists at Ferranti were instrumental in the development of microchip and solar cell technology.

By the 1960s people began exploring ways of exploiting sunlight to provide electrical power in remote locations and for small devices.

Alan Bardsley was an engineer in the Semiconductor Division at Ferranti between 1956 and 1968. In 1969 he became Government liaison and contract negotiator of the Ferranti Semiconductor Division, where he worked until 1974 negotiating Government contracts for these new technologies. He contributed significantly to the development of microchip and solar cell technology at Ferranti.

Details

Category:
Electricity Supply
Object Number:
2015-2009
Materials:
silicone, plastic (unidentified) and resin (unidentified)
Measurements:
overall: 120 mm x 120 mm x 148 mm,
type:
solar cell
credit:
Gift of Alan Bardsley