The concept of using the sun's energy to generate electricity dates back to the 19th century, but the first practical solar cells were developed in the 1950s. The invention of the solar cell is often credited to Bell Labs in 1954, where researchers discovered that silicon, when combined with certain impurities, could produce an electric current when exposed to sunlight. This discovery marked the beginning of the modern solar industry, and since then, solar technology has continued to evolve and improve, making solar energy increasingly accessible and affordable for homeowners and businesses. Today, solar energy is widely used as a clean, renewable source of electricity, and the solar industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world, providing jobs, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and helping to mitigate climate change.