Earth and beyond

Earth's energy resources

non-renewable energy sources

renewable energy sources

sources of energy in the world

unusual sources of energy

measuring work and energy

the greenhouse effect

nuclear power

trapping the Sun's energy

using solar cells

Sun and climate

using solar cells

Pretty well all the energy available to us comes from the Sun in one way or another, but if we want to trap its energy directly, we need to use solar panels or solar cells.

HST launch from shuttle

The Sun's energy is routinely used to power satellites. This is the Hubble Space Telescope being launched from the Space Shuttle. The large rectangular 'wings' are solar panels harnessing solar energy

The solar panels on the SOHO spacecraft use photovoltaic cells. Click on the movie image to see a simulation of SOHO's solar panels unfolding.

[Clapper board with a cd rom - Movie file 1 Mb or more]

Nuna - the solar powered car

Image of the Nuna solar powered car Solar power can even be used to fuel cars. Here is the Dutch car, Nuna, which finished first in the World Solar Challenge 2001. This is a race right across Australia, 3010 km, for cars powered by solar energy.

Solar power is very clean, with no nasty side effects. It is quite technically advanced and a bit expensive to install. More and more countries are now using solar power to provide electricity.

Image of some African school children standing in front on some solar panels African Sun could provide power for villages and schools.

Solar power is a good way to provide electricity locally in the villages, because it does not need an expensive and complicated network of transformers, pylons and wires.

Image of some pylons alongside a road in Africa



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