50 years ago, the future of solar energy looked bright
Excerpt from the April 8, 1972 issue of Science News
![an aerial photo showing a solar farm. There are rows and rows of solar panels grouped into squares as far as the image stretches. The sun is low in the sky.](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/031022_aa_50ya-solar_feat.jpg?fit=1030%2C580&ssl=1)
The first solar energy farm in the United States was established in 1982. Today, the country has more than 2,500 such farms (one shown).
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