How Does Solar Energy Work?

The sun emits enough energy in 1.5 hours to power our planet’s energy consumption for an entire year!

Sunlight is converted into electrical energy by solar technologies, using either photovoltaic (PV) panels or mirrors that capture and concentrate solar radiation. This energy is used for generating electricity, and it can be stored in batteries or thermal storage.

Solar radiation is light that is emitted by the sun, also referred to as electromagnetic radiation. While all of our planet's surface receives a certain amount of sunlight a year, the amount of solar radiation that reaches each spot on the surface varies. Solar technologies are used to capture this radiation and turn it into energy, in a form that can be utilized.