Pictured herein is Dr. C.W. Hewlett - early proponent of solar energy.
He was employed by the research department at General Electric and can be seen demonstrating his brainchild, the "Solar Electric Motor":
"Four small, round iron plates constitute the cell which converts the light into power. The plates are coated with selenium over which is an extremely thin layer of platinum. Both of the metals are 'light sensitive' and convert certain of the the rays into electricity, but as to just how this is done science is pretty vague".
Eighty-three years ago, aircraft pilot Major Kurt Bilau (formerly of the Imperial German Air Corps) was intrigued by the abilities a properly designed propeller; he applied his curiosity to the design of a windmill in order to experiment with the possibility harnessing the power of the wind as a source of energy.
This magazine article briefly explains what a success that experiment was. Bilau's "aerodynamo" was able to convert a sixteen-mile per/hour wind into an amount of energy that was measured at sixty horse power.
These days, the good works of Kurt Bilau are very actively being improved upon and his same theory is being adapted to harness the power of underwater sea currents.
Click here to read a 1947 article about the battle against air pollution.
Click here to read a 1951 article about America's polluted rivers.
