We named our company Blue Selenium Solar in honor of one of the most important discoveries in the history of solar energy.

So, you may ask, What is Selenium? 

That's an interesting question.

Here's the answer: Selenium is a chemical element that played the leading role in the invention of solar cells.

Origin: Selenium from the Greek word for moon, selene. The moon and our blue earth have been dependent on the sun (and each other) for their existence since the dawn of the galaxy.

Definition: Selenium - noun - Chemistry. a nonmetallic (semiconductor) element, occurring in several forms, as crystalline and amorphous, and having an electrical resistance that varies under the influence of light. Symbol: Se; atomic weight: 78.96; atomic number: 34;

Biologically, Selenium is a trace mineral that is essential to good health. In 1876, when William Grylls Adams and his student, Richard Evans Day, discovered that an electrical current could be started in selenium solely by exposing it to light, they felt confident that they had discovered something completely new. Werner von Siemens, a contemporary whose reputation in the field of electricity ranked him alongside Thomas Edison, called the discovery "scientifically of the most far-reaching importance. They proved that a solid material could change light into electricity. This was the dawn of solar energy. In 1953, Calvin Fuller, Gerald Pearson, and Daryl Chapin, discovered the silicon solar cell. This cell was efficient enough to run small electrical devices. The New York Times stated that this discovery was "the beginning of a new era, leading eventually to the realization of harnessing the almost limitless energy of the sun for the uses of civilization." In 2009, Blue Selenium Solar was born, as a direct result of the discovery of the electrical properties of Selenium more than 130 years ago. It just goes to show you that once (or twice) in a blue moon, great things happen! Today we see solar cells in a wide variety of places. With many Federal state, and local incentives now bringing the cost of solar cells well within everyone's budget, solar power has never looked so tempting. Source: To learn more about the history of selenium and solar energy please visit: http://www.californiasolarcenter.org/history_pv.html