Solar Energy

Learn how sunlight becomes heat and electricity

The Sun is Earth's primary source of energy. Sunlight carries energy that can be converted into heat and electricity. Solar panels (photovoltaic cells) contain special materials that release electrons when sunlight hits them, creating an electric current — this is how sunlight becomes electricity. The angle of the solar panel matters: when the panel faces the Sun directly, it captures the maximum amount of light. Tilting it away means less light hits the surface, just like how a flashlight shining straight down makes a bright circle, but shining it at an angle spreads the light over a larger area making it dimmer. Solar energy is renewable — the Sun will keep shining for billions of years. Dark-colored objects absorb more solar energy as heat than light-colored objects, which is why wearing a black shirt on a sunny day feels hotter.