{"id":23349,"date":"2025-12-15T16:05:34","date_gmt":"2025-12-15T16:05:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/chariot-university\/what-is-solar-energy\/"},"modified":"2026-04-01T15:04:09","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T15:04:09","slug":"what-is-solar-energy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/chariot-university\/what-is-solar-energy\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is Solar Energy? Our Sun Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>\n.chariot-article {\n  max-width: 800px;\n  margin: 0 auto;\n  padding: 40px;\n  font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, \"Segoe UI\", Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, sans-serif;\n  font-size: 18px;\n  line-height: 1.8;\n  color: #333;\n}\n.chariot-article h1 {\n  font-size: 2.5em;\n  font-weight: 700;\n  line-height: 1.2;\n  margin: 0 0 30px 0;\n  color: #1a1a1a;\n}\n.chariot-article h2 {\n  font-size: 1.8em;\n  font-weight: 600;\n  line-height: 1.3;\n  margin: 50px 0 20px 0;\n  color: #1a1a1a;\n  border-bottom: 2px solid #f7931e;\n  padding-bottom: 10px;\n}\n.chariot-article h3 {\n  font-size: 1.4em;\n  font-weight: 600;\n  line-height: 1.4;\n  margin: 40px 0 15px 0;\n  color: #333;\n}\n.chariot-article h4 {\n  font-size: 1.2em;\n  font-weight: 600;\n  margin: 30px 0 10px 0;\n  color: #444;\n}\n.chariot-article p {\n  margin: 0 0 20px 0;\n}\n.chariot-article img {\n  max-width: 100%;\n  height: auto;\n  border-radius: 8px;\n  margin: 30px 0;\n  display: block;\n}\n.chariot-article figure {\n  margin: 30px 0;\n}\n.chariot-article figcaption {\n  font-size: 0.9em;\n  color: #666;\n  text-align: center;\n  margin-top: 10px;\n  font-style: italic;\n}\n.chariot-article ul, .chariot-article ol {\n  margin: 20px 0 20px 30px;\n  padding: 0;\n}\n.chariot-article li {\n  margin-bottom: 12px;\n  line-height: 1.6;\n}\n.chariot-article a {\n  color: #f7931e;\n  text-decoration: none;\n  border-bottom: 1px solid transparent;\n  transition: border-color 0.2s;\n}\n.chariot-article a:hover {\n  border-bottom-color: #f7931e;\n}\n.chariot-article blockquote {\n  border-left: 4px solid #f7931e;\n  margin: 30px 0;\n  padding: 20px 30px;\n  background: #f9f9f9;\n  font-style: italic;\n  color: #555;\n}\n.chariot-article strong {\n  font-weight: 600;\n  color: #1a1a1a;\n}\n.chariot-article em {\n  font-style: italic;\n}\n.chariot-article hr {\n  border: none;\n  border-top: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\n  margin: 40px 0;\n}\n.chariot-article table {\n  width: 100%;\n  border-collapse: collapse;\n  margin: 30px 0;\n}\n.chariot-article th, .chariot-article td {\n  padding: 12px 15px;\n  text-align: left;\n  border-bottom: 1px solid #e0e0e0;\n}\n.chariot-article th {\n  background: #f5f5f5;\n  font-weight: 600;\n}\n@media (max-width: 768px) {\n  .chariot-article {\n    padding: 20px;\n    font-size: 16px;\n  }\n  .chariot-article h1 { font-size: 2em; }\n  .chariot-article h2 { font-size: 1.5em; }\n  .chariot-article h3 { font-size: 1.25em; }\n}\n<\/style>\n<div class=\"chariot-article\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" alt=\"Photovoltaic solar panels in a field\" class=\"wp-image-1248\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" height=\"1231\" src=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/solar-panels-in-a-field-resized-1.jpg\" width=\"1920\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Our sun constantly unleashes an immense amount of energy, but only a fragment of that energy actually strikes Earth. That small sliver of energy \u2014 equal to a continuous stream of 174,000 terrawatts of electricity at any given moment \u2014 is enough to satisfy the planet\u2019s entire energy use more than 10,000 times.<sup>1 <\/sup><\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve only begun to develop technology that converts this constant stream of solar power into clean energy in recent years. However, the reality is that we\u2019ve harnessed our sun\u2019s energy for thousands of years. From drying food and hanging clothes on the line, to solar-powered backpacks, grills and garbage bins, we\u2019ve found unique (and sometimes quirky) ways to tap into the sun\u2019s tremendous energy reserves. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">So, What is Solar Energy?<\/h2>\n<p>We experience solar energy as sunlight and feel it in the form of heat. Scientifically speaking, this invisible force \u2014 officially called solar radiation \u2014 is actually comprised of tiny packets of energy called photons. These photons may be considered tiny, but they are the fundamental source of all climate and weather systems on Earth.<sup>2<\/sup> <\/p>\n<p>Before you start to feel overwhelmed by all the hard science of solar power, rest assured that we\u2019re going to answer a few important questions:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>How is solar energy generated? <\/li>\n<li>How do people use solar energy?<\/li>\n<li>What are the benefits of this powerful resource?<\/li>\n<li>How can you take advantage of this green energy? <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>So, let\u2019s dive in.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Does Solar Energy Work?<\/h2>\n<p>If you\u2019ve ever taken a science class, you know that our sun \u2014 just like every other star in the universe \u2014 is a giant nuclear ball of gas. Comprised of mostly hydrogen and helium, the sun is an enormous nuclear fusion reactor, and nuclear fusion is how the sun generates energy.<\/p>\n<p>Deep within the sun\u2019s core, where the pressure and temperature are unbelievably high, hydrogen undergoes a series of reactions to eventually become an entirely different element \u2014 helium \u2014 through nuclear fusion. Eventually, helium atoms fuse to become even heavier elements. This union of atoms \u2014 where lighter elements become heavier ones \u2014 releases massive amounts of energy into space in the form of light and heat. That energy from the sun then <em>radiates <\/em>outward in the form of electromagnetic radiation, where it eventually reaches the Earth\u2019s surface at the speed of light. <\/p>\n<p>Confused yet? Let us explain. You\u2019ve probably heard of UV rays. This is a type of electromagnetic radiation emitted from the sun. Most humans see only a very small\u00a0spectrum of radiation \u2014 or visible light waves \u2014 that strikes the Earth from our sun. Other types of waves such as microwaves and infrared rays are also invisible to us.<\/p>\n<p>These electromagnetic waves essentially deliver the sun\u2019s energy to us! We can harness the sun\u2019s energy from these waves to generate clean, renewable energy used to power homes and businesses. No emissions and no pollution. <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How is Solar Energy Used?<\/h2>\n<p>Over time, humans have discovered many ways to harness the sun\u2019s energy. Obviously, solar panels immediately come to mind, as photovoltaic solar panels are an efficient way to use the sun to generate electricity. Many people have utility scale solar plants in mind with large solar panel fields. However, there are many more technologies that can capture energy from the sun for a variety of uses. <\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s start by discussing our bread and butter \u2014 photovoltaic solar panels (PV) \u2014 and then dig into the lesser-known-but-just-as-interesting ways to utilize the sun. <\/p>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Solar Energy Systems to Produce Electricity<\/h3>\n<p>There are two main solar energy technologies to convert sunlight into electricity: <\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Solar photovoltaic systems (solar panels) and <\/li>\n<li>Concentrating solar power plants (also called CSP plants). <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img alt=\"Photovoltaic solar panels being installed on a utility-scale solar farm\" class=\"wp-image-1249\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"1295\" src=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/solar-panel-installation-resized.jpg\" width=\"1920\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Solar Photovoltaic Systems<\/h4>\n<p>Also called PV cells or solar cells, solar PV systems serve as the electricity powerhouse of the solar panel. Each cell consists of two thin silicon sheets, and these sheets act like a battery: One is positively charged, and the other is negatively charged. When you join the two layers and expose them to sunlight, they produce an electrical current! A solar panel contains many of these battery-like cells to maximize electricity generation.<\/p>\n<p>But since solar panels can absorb only certain types of electromagnetic radiation, most of the sunlight that strikes a PV cell isn\u2019t converted into electricity. In fact, most of the sun\u2019s energy isn\u2019t viable; UV rays produce only heat energy, and infrared rays are too weak to generate electricity.<sup>3 <\/sup><\/p>\n<p>While we know how to extract the maximum energy possible from\u00a0fossil fuels, we are still learning how to maximize our use of solar. However, there\u2019s no competition when you consider the environmental impact of solar. Since it generates no emissions or pollution, solar wins hands down. In fact, the EPA designates electricity produced from solar power as an energy source with the highest environmental benefit.<sup>4 <\/sup><\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img alt=\"A concentrating solar power (CSP) plant\" class=\"wp-image-1252\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"792\" src=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/concentrating-solar-power-plant.jpg\" width=\"1408\" title=\"\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: Department of Energy<\/figcaption><\/img><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Concentrating Solar Power Plants<\/h4>\n<p>CSP plants rely solely on thermal energy from the sun to generate electricity. While there are three types of CSP plants \u2014 parabolic trough, compact linear fresnel reflector, and the power tower \u2014 all use relatively the same approach to produce electricity.<\/p>\n<p>Using highly reflective mirrors to concentrate sunlight on a single point, CSP plants heat water that drives the traditional steam turbines used in coal plants. The difference? CSP plants don\u2019t generate greenhouse gas emissions.<\/p>\n<p>CSP plants can also generate electricity after the sun sets because the water gets so hot it continues to produce steam for several hours. With the use of thermal storage, CSP plants can help relieve stress on the energy grid when electricity demand is high.<sup>5<\/sup><\/p>\n<p>The main challenge with both CSP plants and solar photovoltaic systems is that solar heating is fairly difficult to accomplish. Solar energy isn\u2019t spread evenly, and it\u2019s diffused across the entire Earth \u2014 <em>literally<\/em>. In the United States alone, solar irradiance \u2014 the rate at which sunlight falls onto a surface \u2014 is pretty varied, as most of the solar power falls in Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico and West Texas.<sup>6<\/sup> <\/p>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"The National Renewable Energy Laboratory&#039;s map of solar irradiance in the U.S.\" class=\"wp-image-1250\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"1242\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/global-horizontal-solar-irradiance-resized.jpg\" width=\"1920\" title=\"\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Source: National Renewable Energy Laboratory<\/figcaption><\/img><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Solar to Produce Thermal Energy<\/h3>\n<p>There are a couple of other ways to capture thermal energy from solar, including solar space heating and cooling and solar hot water heating collectors. The difference between these methods and CSP plants is that space heating and water heating doesn\u2019t generate electricity. Rather, these systems manipulate solar\u2019s heating characteristics to regulate building temperatures, which can save on water heating costs. You might call it \u2018solar thermal power.\u2019 <\/p>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Solar Space Heating &amp; Cooling<\/h4>\n<p>Perhaps the simplest method of using solar power, you can implement it in your home today! Just by strategically opening and closing your curtains and windows to heat and cool your home, you have created a passive solar home. You\u2019re using the heat of the sun to regulate your home\u2019s climate without the use of electricity. <\/p>\n<p>You can create an active solar home, but that requires additional equipment. To truly save on heating costs, you\u2019d need rooftop solar collectors, black boxes that absorb sunlight and trap heat, to distribute heat throughout the house. <\/p>\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Solar Water Heating Collectors<\/h4>\n<p>Water heating accounts for nearly 20% of your energy bill.<sup>7<\/sup> A solar water heater is an environmentally-friendly solution to help you reduce your bill each month. <\/p>\n<p>Solar water heaters work like solar space heaters. After the solar collector is installed, the hot water heater uses a heat transfer fluid to transmute heat from the collector to the water tank. Once heated, you can use the hot water in your home! <\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Top Benefits of Solar Energy<\/h2>\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Photovoltaic solar panels above a body of water\" class=\"wp-image-1253\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"1035\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/photovoltaic-panels-resized.jpg\" width=\"1920\" title=\"\"><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Originally, the increase in demand for renewable energy was due to the perceived scarcity of fossil fuels.<sup>8<\/sup> Now, renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and biomass are rapidly growing \u2014 not because of oil \u2014 but as a response to climate change and other environmental concerns. Today, people (and companies) are adopting solar power in droves because they care about keeping the planet clean. The top <a aria-label=\"benefits of solar energy (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/chariot-university\/solar-energy-pros-and-cons\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">benefits of solar energy<\/a> include: <\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Saving $259 billion in global climate change damages<\/strong> with a reduced carbon footprint<sup>9<\/sup> <\/li>\n<li><strong>Preventing $167 billion in health and environmental damages<\/strong> by decreasing pollution <sup>9<\/sup> <\/li>\n<li>Reducing or completely eliminating their electricity bills with rooftop solar<\/li>\n<li>Easing the stress on the energy grid during peak usage<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How You Can Take Advantage of Solar Energy<\/h2>\n<p>There are <a href=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/blog\/can-i-use-solar-panels-to-completely-power-my-home\/\">two main ways<\/a> you can take advantage of the sun at home: <\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Rooftop<br \/>solar panels and<\/li>\n<li>A green<br \/>electricity plan that powers your home with 100% solar energy. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Business owners <a href=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/blog\/solar-for-business\/\">can use options<\/a> like rooftop panels, power purchase agreements, carbon credits, and more! <\/p>\n<p>At Chariot Energy, we offer solar power to our customers with or without solar panels. Our <a href=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/residential\/\">green electricity plans<\/a> help you get 100% solar energy in your home without installing solar panels. For people with panels, <a href=\"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/solar-buyback\/\">we\u2019ll buy the excess energy<\/a> produced by your rooftop solar power system.<\/p>\n<p>Ready to go full solar and reap the benefits today? <\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n<p><strong>Sources<\/strong>: <\/p>\n<p>[1] <a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/articles\/top-6-things-you-didnt-know-about-solar-energy\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/articles\/top-6-things-you-didnt-know-about-solar-energy<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>[2] <a href=\"https:\/\/history.nasa.gov\/EP-177\/ch3-5.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/history.nasa.gov\/EP-177\/ch3-5.html<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[3] <a href=\"https:\/\/www.seia.org\/initiatives\/photovoltaics\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.seia.org\/initiatives\/photovoltaics<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[4] <a href=\"http:\/\/needtoknow.nas.edu\/energy\/energy-sources\/fossil-fuels\/natural-gas\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/needtoknow.nas.edu\/energy\/energy-sources\/fossil-fuels\/natural-gas\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[5] <a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/eere\/solar\/concentrating-solar-thermal-power\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/eere\/solar\/concentrating-solar-power<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[7] <a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/energysaver\/heat-and-cool\/water-heating\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/energysaver\/heat-and-cool\/water-heating<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[8] <a href=\"http:\/\/lsa.colorado.edu\/essence\/texts\/solar.html\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/lsa.colorado.edu\/essence\/texts\/solar.html<\/a><\/p>\n<p>[9] <a href=\"https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/eere\/solar\/downloads\/environmental-and-public-health-benefits-achieving-high-penetration-solar\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">https:\/\/www.energy.gov\/eere\/solar\/downloads\/environmental-and-public-health-benefits-achieving-high-penetration-solar<\/a>\n<\/p>\n<div class=\"clear\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Solar energy is a clean energy source that can power homes and businesses. Learn how solar power works, its benefits and how to harness them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":23496,"parent":627,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-23349","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23349","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23349"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/23349\/revisions"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/627"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23496"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23349"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}