opened in 2015 They are named Solar Star 1 and Solar Star 2 Together they make up the world’s largest solar power station Their panels turn the sun’s energy into 579 megawatts of electricity This is enough to power more than 255,000 homes The Solar Star projects are just two of many new solar plants Throughout the world people are looking for new ways to create power They want clean quiet renewable energy To find this energy scientists are looking to the sun It is a power source of the future The Sun’s Power The sun has been shining for approximately 4 6 billion years It is the star at the center of our solar system The sun is 6 Megawatts Solar power is usually measured in megawatts MW This is a unit of power In the United States solar energy currently has the ability to produce approximately 29,000 MW That is enough energy to power around 5 7 million US homes As more cities add solar panels this number will continue to increase
The sun's intense energy reaches Earth as light made up of burning hydrogen and helium Its core reaches temperatures of more than 27 million degrees Fahrenheit 15 million °C The sun's energy travels to Earth as light Without this energy life as we know it would be impossible The amount of energy the sun gives off is staggering Just 20 days of the sunlight that hits Earth has as much power as all the planet's fossil fuels combined But harnessing this power is difficult Today's solar panels capture only a small portion of it Still this small portion is useful It can power devices and heat or cool homes It can also be stored in batteries to use later
The Sun’s Strength The sun shines on the whole planet but some places receive more of its energy than others This map from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory shows how much solar energy the United States receives on average in different locations The map shows kilowatt hours per square meter kWh m2 per day A kilowatt hour per square meter is equal to one kilowatt worth of energy hitting one square meter of the planet’s surface for one hour How does this map help you understand solar power What does the map say about where solar power plants might be most effective Benefits of Solar Power Demand for solar energy is growing People like solar energy because it is clean Other sources of energy 8
such as fossil fuels release carbon dioxide This gas traps heat in the atmosphere warming the planet Solar power generates electricity without releasing harmful gases Demand for solar power is also high because it is renewable People can take energy from the sun without fear of using it all Fossil fuels are different They are nonrenewable resources Once Earth’s fossil fuels are used up they cannot be replaced for millions of years Sunlight has other benefits too No company or nation can own the sun It is a resource all people can share Unlike oil and gas which need to be transported solar power can be used where it is created The Drawbacks Despite the many benefits of solar power it has seen relatively little use One reason is that solar power is costly Solar power plants require many expensive solar panels 9
