From Space to Earth: The Story of Solar Electricity By John Perlin

HIGHLIGHTS

*Publisher: Harvard University Press: Cambridge, Massachusetts *Foreign Editions: Italy *One of The Astronomical Society of the Pacifics Current Books of Note (December, 2002)

REVIEWS

This "just in time" story of the development of photovoltaics merits the most serious attention and cannot fail to stimulate the readers interest in both the episodes recounted, and their interdisciplinary applications and prospects. The author has provided us with a "good read", and the illustrations enhance ones enjoyment. As the book unfolds, we are walked through the dozen or so key episodes when dedicated and determined individuals have made dramatic improvements in the state of the art. It is a fascinating story, told so that even an individual without technical training can comprehend the breakthroughs which led to todays widespread and ever increasing adoption of solar power. - Frank P. Davidson, former president of the American Society for Macro-Engineering, and Senior Adviser to the MIT Macro-Engineering Research Group, in Interdisciplinary Sciences Review

"John Perlin's book gives a taste of the tremendous difficulties that early pioneers had to overcome to turn Charles Fritts' 1885 invention of a seleniumbased solar module to today's booming photovoltaic business. Perlin gives a vivid and fascinating account of the advances of photovoltaics on Earth. Presenting the development of photovoltaic cells in such a personalized manner makes it a much more lively and interesting read than a mere technical account would have done." - Dr. Michael Gratzel, Institut de Photonique et Interfaces, Ecole Polytechnique Federale, Lausanne, Switzerland, in Nature

"John Perlin's delightful tour through the development of photovoltaics (PV) answers not only the question of what is new under the sun, but most importantly, how we got there. Perlin charts the evolution of the photovoltaic industry from its beginnings to the present. It's the best and most readable book on photovoltaic research, policy, and market growth."- Dr. Daniel M. Kammen, Director, Energy Research Group, University of California, Berkeley, in Whole Earth

"Twenty years ago Ken Butti and John Perlin published A Golden Thread, a comprehensive and authoritative history of solar energy that remains today one of the best books on the subject. Perlins present book is an equally impressive

story of the twentieth-century solar photovoltaics industry. Even diehard opponents of solar energy should find it compelling." - Dr. Anthony Stranges, Associate Professor of History, Texas A&M, in Isis, the official journal of the History of Science Society

"As a researcher, educator, and advocate of renewable energy, Im always on the lookout for materials that will increase my own knowledge, and also be useful in helping to educate others. This new book, "From Space to Earth: The Story of Solar Electricity" is an absolute treasure. It is a must read for anyone interested in the subject of clean energy, whether you are a newcomer or an old-timer. Its not just another dry presentation of a technology. Perlin does an excellent job of telling the story of solar electricity by focusing on the people and their needs, which helped drive the development of PV. He meticulously documents his sources (and there are many, including numerous previously unpublished papers and unclassified documents) giving the reader complete confidence in the material presented. In my quest to learn more about the solar industry, and to find material that is useful in educating others, this book is a prize. It has become a cornerstone in my solar workshops." - Tor Allen, in Home Power, the worlds leading renewable energy magazine

"From Space to Earth" by John Perlin is the most exciting, down to earth book that I have read on the subject of photovoltaics. This books should be required reading for all persons, at all levels, in the photovoltaic industry! I strongly urge our readers to purchase this treasure." - Paul Maycock, in Photovoltaic News, the solar electric industrys leading journal

"From the co-author of A Golden Thread: 2500 Years of Solar Architecture and Technology, this book follows in the same vein with a fascinating, fun-to-read account of the unfolding of the photovoltaics (PV) industry. Near the end of the book is one of the best chapters: "Better Cells, Cheaper Cells," which clearly explains how PV works by tracing the evolution of the technologies and manufacturing, right up to the present. By providing this complex information in a story-like fashion, Perlin makes it very understandable and highly interesting. "From Space to Earth" is clearly worth the read, especially for anyone involved with specifying or installing PV equipment." - Environmental Building News