index > Today's Earth, Our Future > 5. Clean energy > Thank You for Solar Power, Mr. Sun
 
Thank You for Solar Power, Mr. SunAnd now introducing the incredible power source we call Solar Power!
Did you know that solar power, the energy that comes from the sun, has been used by all people in all parts of the world since ancient times? Plants and animals can't live without the sun's light. The sun is the source of energy for everything in the universe. The first time humans thought to use solar energy as electricity was for satellite use. Because there's no way to put a power plant (a building that generates power) in outer space, the satellite has solar panels that absorb the sun's energy and turn it into electricity to operate the satellite. Another item that runs on solar power--something used by many people--is the solar calculator, an electric calculator invented in Japan that doesn't use batteries. How does it work without batteries? Well, if you're lucky enough to have one of these nifty gadgets at home, find the small black rectangle at the top of the calculator. This is actually a tiny solar panel. Now, cover up the solar panel with your finger. The numbers on display should disappear since the panel needs light to make electricity for the calculator to work! These days, the use of solar power to supply electricity to private homes and factories is becoming more popular. A material called silicone is used to change sunlight directly into electricity. Some remarkable things about solar energy are: 1) There's an unlimited supply of it: As long as the sun is there, we can use solar energy. 2) It's clean and quiet: Because nothing has to be burned to use it as energy (unlike petroleum), its CO2-free. 3) It's available wherever you need it: Since the sun shines in any country or region, even if a power line is damaged during an earthquake or some other disasters, people will still have energy. There's no need to carry energy from somewhere else since electricity can be made on the spot! 4) It comes in whatever size you need: Since solar panels are made up of small units that can be combined to any size, they can make enough power for anything from a small laptop computer to a huge power plant! Like a "portable power plant," these panels can be small enough to fit in a briefcase, or the ones made for rechargeable batteries can slip right into your pocket! 5) Panels can be fixed to roofs or walls: With solar energy, we don't need to cut down trees in the mountains or build dams or power plants to generate electricity. All we need to do is simply put solar panels on the roof of buildings, and "Wa-la!" it becomes an electrical power plant! It's a waste of valuable roof space if the only use of rooftops is for cats to take their naps, don't you think? There are also some roofs that have built-in solar panels.
One last thing to mention is that the sun not only gives us light, but it gives us heat, too. Everyone feels warm when the sunlight hits your body, right? With energy from this solar heat, we also can heat water and buildings. By doing this, we can reduce the amount of electricity and gas we use for heaters and supplying hot water. Sounds good, doesn't it?!
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   5. Clean energy
   
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