Solar power vs solar energy

What is solar energy?

Solar energy is a generic term that describes capturing and using any energy from the sun, including solar heating and solar daylighting.

What is the difference between solar energy and solar power?

However, there’s a mystery here! People often say “solar energy” and “solar power” like they mean the same, but they’re actually different. Solar energy is the sun’s raw power, while solar power is what we make after converting it, like turning it into electricity.

What is solar power and how does it work?

Solar power is a renewable energy source that converts sunlight into electricity. In the first quarter of the 21st century, it was the third most widely utilized form of renewable energy, accounting for about 4.5 percent of the world’s total power generation capacity in 2022. The majority of the world’s solar power comes from solar photovoltaics (solar panels).

How do solar panels generate electricity?

Solar panels generate electricity through the photovoltaic effect, which harnesses the sun’s energy. There are two main types of solar energy: photovoltaic and thermal. Solar energy is energy from the sun that we capture with various technologies, including solar panels.

How is solar energy used?

Solar power is used in two main ways: generating electricity or thermal energy. For most homeowners, solar panels that convert solar energy to electricity are the best use of solar energy because it allows them to save on electric bills.

How efficient are solar panels?

Different types of solar panels will have different conversion efficiencies (the fraction of solar energy converted into electrical energy), but utility-scale panels in the US are generally 20–23% efficient. The more intense the light, the more power the panel will produce.