Was the first Solar PV entrepreneur kidnapped by the fossil fuel industry?

[dan_b]

Well this was fun reading.
In 1905, Canadian engineer George Cove developed a domestic SolarPV array with a back-up battery. But he was kidnapped with a condition of his release to forgo any patents on his invention and to shut the company...


https://theconversation.com/if-the-firs ... did-215300

[Mart]

Wow. Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow!

I wonder if in 114yrs time, folk may be looking back on Rishi Sunak's recent anti-AGW/EV/HP/RE moves?

[AE-NMidlands]

What struck me was

What is well-known though, is that fledgling fossil fuel companies commonly deployed unscrupulous practices towards their competitors. And solar was a threat as it is an inherently democratic technology – everyone has access to the sun – which can empower citizens and communities, unlike fossil fuels which necessitate empire-building.
Standard Oil, led by the world’s first billionaire John D Rockefeller, squashed competition so thoroughly that it compelled the government to introduce antitrust laws to combat monopolies.

which mirrors what I had read about their car indstry getting the big tram networks shut down...