solar energy

[ soh-ler en-er-jee ]

noun

1. energy derived from the sun in the form of solar radiation.

solar energy

noun

1. energy obtained from solar power

solar energy

1. The radiant energy emitted by the Sun.
2. Energy derived from the Sun's radiation. Passive solar energy can be exploited through architectural design, as by positioning windows to allow sunlight to enter and help heat a space. Active solar energy involves the conversion of sunlight to electrical energy, especially in solar (photovoltaic) cells.
3. See also solar cell

solar energy

1. The energy the Earth receives from the sun , primarily as visible light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation . ( See renewable resource .)

Notes

The term solar energy often refers to processes that use this energy to generate heat or electricity for human use. ( See solar cells .)

Example Sentences

"On the contrary, the electro-biodiesel process can convert 4.5% of solar energy to lipids when a solar panel is used to produce electricity to drive electrocatalysis, which is much higher than the natural photosynthetic process."

From Science Daily

Santa Cruz Farm grows 72 crops throughout the year and uses solar energy to power greenhouses and even water pumps.

From Los Angeles Times

Eddy said solar projects had protected the owls’ grasslands and that they’d been known to return to solar energy development sites once construction was completed.

From Los Angeles Times

Although the technology is still in its early stages and presents challenges, it has already dropped substantially in cost, and studies of similar technologies suggest these fuels could improve as rapidly as solar energy.

From Los Angeles Times

"There are millions of acres of public land across the West that have been degraded due to human use and would be ideal for solar energy development," Donnelly said.

From Salon

Related Words

• solar power
• solar radiation