How does solar energy actually work?
The Sun radiates a phenomenal amount of light and heat energy in our direction. In fact, the amount of solar energy hitting Earth’s surface in just two hours would be enough to cover all of our energy needs for an entire year.
There are two key ways of capturing and using this energy from the Sun: solar panels (photovoltaics), which convert light into electricity, and solar thermal power, which transforms the Sun’s energy into heat.
