• Question: how do we get more energy from the sun?

    Asked by ellie science to Deborah, Euan, Maheen, Rob, Stu on 21 Jun 2016.
    • Photo: Rob Stanley

      Rob Stanley answered on 21 Jun 2016:

      Engineers and scientists are trying to make new breakthroughs that will increase the efficiency of solar panels. We won’t make the sun make more energy, but we will collect more of it that is already being given off. I’m not sure how solar panels work though, sorry.

    • Photo: Maheen Siddiqui

      Maheen Siddiqui answered on 21 Jun 2016:

      Hi again ellie science,

      You are doing great with the really intelligent questions!

      We can harness more energy from the sun using solar panels. To put it simply, solar panels work by using particles of light (called photons) to knock electrons free from atoms (on the surface of the solar panel) and thereby generating a flow of electricity. Solar panels are composed of many smaller units called photovoltaic cells which just means that they convert sunlight to electricity.

    • Photo: Deborah Prunty

      Deborah Prunty answered on 21 Jun 2016:

      The sun gives out a set amount of energy. We can’t get it to give out more. All we can do is try to create more efficient ways of collecting it, and converting it into a form that we can use. Solar panels are the most common way of doing this currently. Scientists are currently researching improved solar panels, and even artificial plants that collect and convert solar energy into electricity.

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