If you look at the satellites that were sent into orbit in the space race, you'll notice that they were fitted with solar panels. Hence the technology to make solar panels efficient and usable began. While there was a lull once the space race subsided, there was renewed interest in the 1970's during the energy crisis, when fossil fuels became so expensive due to conflicts in the Middle East. In addition to that, the full damaging effects that these fuels were doing to the environment became widely know, and so the drive to find alternative energy began. And people once again looked to Solar.
Today, many countries are very aware of many factors that have resulted in them taking solar power very seriously indeed. For example, environmentally many countries are signed up to the Kyoto treaty, which has set targets for every individual cuntry to meet. If countries are to have any hope of reaching these set targets, they will need to (and have) invested heavily in renewable energies like solar.
Governments are also acutely aware that the basic energy equation is imbalanced - fossil fuels have depleted, energy demand predictions have sky rocketedend result, a push to develop and implement renewable energy programs like solar.
Reference: help-save-planet.blogspot.com
