Solar power, also known as solar electricity, is the conversion of energy from sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PV) or indirectly using concentrated solar power.
Solar energy is radiation from the Sun that is capable of producing heat, causing chemical reactions, or generating electricity. The total amount of solar energy incident on Earth is vastly in excess of the world’s energy requirements and could satisfy all future energy needs if suitably harnessed.
How does solar power work? This article lays out the basic science of how solar panels work and how it relates to powering your home and saving money.
In a nutshell, solar panels generate electricity when photons (those particles of sunlight we discussed before) hit solar cells. The process is called the photovoltaic effect.