Solar power refers to the energy from the sun. The point is in the form of radiation, which makes solar electricity production possible. Electricity can be produced directly from photovoltaic cells. The radiation from the sun is absorbed by semiconductors in PV cells and then transformed into direct current by solar systems.
You can use solar power energy to pretty much do everything
Most of the world’s energy comes from finite fossil fuels. Oil, natural gas, and coal will run out someday, and the more we use, the sooner they’ll be gone. We must stop using them to avoid the risk of catastrophic climate change.
Solar and wind power are abundant, inexhaustible, and clean. You can use solar panels to heat water or create electricity with a photovoltaic system. Wind turbines can provide you with renewable electricity at home or on a large scale. Sunlight is free, and turning it into electricity is cheaper every year. One estimate says that by the middle of the century, solar will be so inexpensive that it will be the primary source of energy in the world.
A solar cell is a chip of semiconductor material, usually silicon, with electrical contacts on the front and back. When light shines on the chip, it creates an electric current. Typical commercial solar systems produce about half a volt of electric potential, so to produce a meaningful amount of power, you need to connect many cells into a panel.
A panel big enough to power a house costs about $20,000 and produces about 100 watts per square foot (10 watts per square meter). You could reduce your monthly electric bill by thousands of dollars by installing solar panels on your roof, but it would take decades for them to pay for themselves.
