Submitted by elsbeth on Tue, 2009-10-27 18:12

What is solar energy?

 

Solar energy is technology that converts the energy in sunlight into consumable energy: electricity or heat We distinguish between two forms:

  1. Indirect solar energy: consumable energy is produced in a roundabout way Examples of indirect solar energy are wind energy, hydropower and biomass.
  2. Direct solar energy: the energy in light is typically converted into consumable energy using special technology. This technology includes: solar collectors, solar panels, CSP systems and solar towers.

When people use the term solar energy in everyday life, they usually mean generation of electricity from solar energy using solar panels. In the Netherlands, this is typically achieved by direct conversion of sunlight into electricity using a PV system.