solar energy

American  

[soh-ler en-er-jee] / ˈsoʊ lər ˈɛn ər dʒi /

noun

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

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solar energy British  

noun

1. energy obtained from solar power

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solar energy Scientific  

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

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solar energy Cultural  

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

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Discover More

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

See Examples For:

solar energy

In 2011, a solar energy manufacturer named Solyndra declared bankruptcy.

From Slate ● Jul. 27, 2026

The logic is seductive: Launch the data centers into orbit, where solar energy is abundant and land, water and local power grids are no longer constraints.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 19, 2026

In March, Nasa announced a $20 billion programme to construct a permanent base powered by nuclear and solar energy at the Moon's south pole by 2032.

From BBC ● May 26, 2026

The filing also laid out an ambitious roadmap to build data centers in space, arguing that solar energy captured in orbit represents "the only truly scalable solution" to the soaring power demands of AI computing.

From Barron's ● May 20, 2026

Libra not only could help earth by providing clean solar energy, but could also relieve overcrowding on earth by giving people someplace else to live.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins

Related Words

• solar power
• solar radiation