Solar Energy
Engineering Blog
Solar Industry Insights
Solar World Congress 2025 in Fortaleza, Brazil
The ISES Solar World Congress 2025 (SWC 2025) is set to be a landmark event for the renewable energy sector, taking place from November 4-7, 2025, in Brazil.
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Who are Solar?
Alumna Spotlight: Kaitlyn McMullin’s Journey from the Solar Energy Engineering Master’s Program to Innovation in the Solar Industry
Kaitlyn McMullin, SEE program graduate, shares how the SEE program and hands-on research helped advance her career in solar energy and process engineering.
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SEE's News
Upcoming Exhibitions: Meet the Solar Energy Engineering Program in 2025
Meet the Solar Energy Engineering program at BayWa r.e. PV Marktplatz, Intersolar Europe & All-Energy 2025 to explore our online master's and certificates!
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SEE's News
A Week of Learning and Networking: Campus Phase 2024 Recap
Campus Phase Week is a highly anticipated annual event, bringing students, lecturers, alumni, and the SEE team together for workshops, lectures, and networking.
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SEE's News
Key Updates to the Solar Energy Engineering Program
Applications for the summer semester 2025 open on December 15, 2024, until March 30, 2025. Mark your calendar and apply to join our master program!
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Who are Solar?
Sabrina Hasni: A Consultant's Journey Through Solar Energy Education
In this article, Sabrina Hasni reflects on her educational journey in the Master’s Program in Solar Energy Engineering and its impact on her career.
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Solar Industry Insights
Solar Panels Go Up and High in the Mountains
You saw solar panels on rooftops, fields, or buildings. How about on the snowy Swiss mountains? Read more now to learn about high-altitude solar applications!
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SEE's News
SEE Team Met for a Breakfast and Discussing Exciting Plans
The SEE team got together for breakfast to celebrate many things: colleague weddings, the arrival of babies, and of course, the program’s future!
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SEE's News
SEE had a Blast at the Intersolar Europe 2021
Intersolar Europe 2021 took place from 6-8 October in a great atmosphere. The Solar Energy Engineering team shared a booth with Fraunhofer ISE.
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Who are Solar?
Dr. Eva Stegen's Three Decades of Energy Activism
She studied biology at Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf and received her doctorate at the Institute for Zoophysiology from the same institution.
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SEE's News
12.000 People in Freiburg Walked for Climate Justice
“Climate Justice Now!” chants echoed in the lively streets of Freiburg on 24 September 2021 at the big climate strike where people of all ages were present.
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Research Management
Preparing A Research Presentation? Do These for a Successful One!
We’ll present our research before an audience at least once – if not multiple times. Read this article to learn how to convey your research topic effectively.
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Who are Solar?
MESol: Women in Brazil have a New Solar Energy Platform
Aline Kirsten Vidal de Oliveira and Kathlen Schneider are two of the co-founders of MESol. We talked about their careers and how they promote gender equality.
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Solar Industry Insights
Solar Bee Farms Swarm with Opportunities
Today, solar farms are mostly more than just solar farms - some are also a life source for bees. Read more to learn about this relatively young application!
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SEE's News
The University of Freiburg Publishes its Environmental Report
The University's detailed report shows the University of Freiburg's greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, waste, water management. And more!
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Solar Industry Insights
What Can a Solar Career Do for You?
Becoming a solar energy professional is good for you and the planet. At any point in your life, you can turn to solar. But what can a solar career do for you?
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Who are Solar?
Noemie Daguenet’s Lively and Inspiring Solar Energy Career Journey
The senior project manager at Lightsource bp, Noemie, shares her renewable energy journey, spanning many time zones and three languages.
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Solar Industry Insights
Hungary-based Platio Combines Recycled Plastic and Solar Cells for a Greener Future
Smart cities and a sustainable future require smart and sustainable solutions! Platio produces “walkable solar tiles mounted on recycled plastic paving slabs.”
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SEE's News
Penn State and University of Freiburg Collaborate for Virtual Classroom Project
As education becomes more global and virtual, Penn State and Freiburg universities start a pilot virtual classroom project.
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SEE's News
SEE’s Studio is Recording!
After the last several busy months in the SEE’s team, another project came to life. Our new recording studio is running!
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SEE's News
New Fraunhofer ISE Building is Officially Open
The new laboratory building, namely, the “Center for High Efficiency Solar Cells”, is open as of April 2021. Find the brand new film portrait in the post!
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Who are Solar?
The Wave of Energy Rebirth from Helsinki: An Interview with Pirjo Jantunen
We move towards a climate-neutral future, which changes the way we source and use energy. Pirjo Jantunen talks about how city energy is implemented in Helsinki.
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Who are Solar?
A Young Researcher's Agrivoltaics Journey in South America
David Jung works in Fraunhofer Chile at the Center for Solar Energy Technologies. He is currently running several field projects on agrivoltaics near Santiago.
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SEE's News
Spring 2021 Campus Phase Week was Informative, Fun and Online!
This week is a big deal for us! The last time our traditional Campus Phase took place in Freiburg was in Autumn 2019. Since then, our events have been online.
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Solar Industry Insights
Sharing is Caring: Community-owned Renewable Energy
Community-owned renewable energy gains popularity. For many communities, self-ownership of energy means independence, empowerment, and reliability of energy.
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Solar Industry Insights
Leading Brazil's Solar Energy Revolution with Action: ABSOLAR
Get your place in the sun and read this insightful interview we had with Rodrigo Lopes Sauaia from Brazil, the CEO of ABSOLAR.
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Solar Industry Insights
A Review of Solar Energy and Other Renewables in 2020
The first year of the decade began with the hopes of change, a change for better environment, climate policies, and justice.
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Who are Solar?
Dr Rashi Gupta: Among Asia’s Most Influential Women in Renewable Energy in 2020
Apart from her BE, MBA, LLM degrees and holding a PhD title, perhaps “Batterywali of India” is the one that defines Dr Rashi Gupta the most clearly and fondly.
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Who are Solar?
From Oil to Sustainable Systems Engineering: How a Young Researcher Made the "Switch"
Nick Harder is a PhD Student who studied Petroleum Engineering in his bachelor. Now he is working on Grid Integration at INATECH at the University of Freiburg.
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Who are Solar?
Solar Boat Twente: “We Want to Show to the Maritime Sector: It Can be Done Differently!”
Solar Boat Twente wants to contribute to a sustainable future by designing and building an innovative solar boat and joining solar boat races.
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Solar Industry Insights
Solar Grid Project Empowers Local Women in Yemen
Country’s first private solar energy grid brings hope to a local community and wins acclaimed international Ashden Awards for Humanitarian Energy.
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SEE's News
Welcome Message to Students
We welcomed our new students from all over the world! The map shows their locations; we are thrilled to have such an international student profile.
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Solar Industry Insights
E-Vehicles in India
Electric vehicles are a key technology to reduce air pollution in densely populated areas and a promising option to contribute to energy diversification.
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Solar Industry Insights
Can Solar Thermal Energy be a Game-Changer? — Part 2
In the second article of the series, Mr Wissenz dwells on how solar thermal energy brings many mitigation benefits as well as education opportunities.
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Solar Industry Insights
Can Solar Thermal Energy be a Game-Changer?
Solar Fire Concentration’s CEO, Eerik Wissenz, discusses the importance of innovative and ambitious business models related to new uses of solar energy.
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Solar Facts
Failures & Defects in PV Systems: Typical Methods for Detecting Defects and Failures
There are various methods to detect failures and defects in a PV system. This article explores the positive and negative aspects of these methods.
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Who are Solar?
SOLAR TRANS•FUSION: A Podcast about Inclusivity and Belonging by Design
Prepare for stories of light, power, and difference. This is a show about people, pride of place, centering voices from the margins in fun stories of light.
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Solar Industry Insights
UP Initiative and PV Module Recycling
PV Magazine has a new agenda: the UP initiative. Through the UP initiative, PV Magazine plans to discuss issues of sustainability in the PV world. #UPrising
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Solar Industry Insights
Monica Oliphant Reflects on the COVID-19 Pandemic and Climate Crisis
Undoubtedly 2020 will go down in history as the year of the global COVID-19 pandemic. In this situation, how do we tackle a pandemic and ongoing climate crisis?
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Distance Learning
8 Quick Tips for Exam Preparation
Online or offline, distant, or close whichever exam you are preparing for, here are some quick tips that can help you prepare for an exam efficiently.
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Research Management
Developing Research with Impact
If you are in academia, you probably want your research to generate positive impressions and have an influence on other researchers and possibly on the world.
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Solar Industry Insights
Visions for Solar Energy’s Post-COVID-19 Future
Back in June, Global Solar Council had a webinar about how to "build back better" with the contribution of solar energy in the post-COVID-19 world.
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Solar Industry Insights
Agrivoltaics: The Untapped Potential of the PV World - An Interview with Andreas Steinhüser
"Of all integrated PV approaches, agricultural PV technology has the most significant potential," says FraunhoferISE Agrivoltaic project manager Mr. Steinhüser.
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SEE's News
Welcome and Congratulations: Prof. Dr Anke Weidlich
We welcome Prof. Dr Anke Weidlich to our team. We are excited about sharing her vision and passion for sustainable energy!
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Who are Solar?
An Inspiring Woman in Ethiopian Clean Energy Sector: Filagot Tesfaye
A woman of many talents, Filagot Tesfaye, was so kind as to answer our questions. She is a consultant, an engineer and example of working for one's community!
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Who are Solar?
An Interview with Prof. Dr Anke Weidlich: New Director of SEE and a Successful Academic in Sustainable Solar Systems
The SEE department has just welcomed Prof. Dr Anke Weidlich as the co-director! She took over the position from Prof. Dr Leonhard Reindl after his retirement.
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Solar Industry Insights
We Recycle Solar – A Pioneer Recycling Company in Solar Energy Industry
Have you ever wondered where do solar panels go at the end of their useful life? To landfills, if it were not for pioneers like We Recycle Solar.
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Who are Solar?
An Interview with Monica Oliphant — A British-Australian Pioneer in the Renewable Energy Sector
A woman who has inspired many for more than 40 years, Monica is strongly influencing the energy transition as a maverick researcher and a tireless advocate.
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Distance Learning
Debunking Five Prejudices and Concerns about Online Education
During a time when online training becomes more popular, here are five misconceptions you might have about online education and how to address them.
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Solar Industry Insights
Three Reports from 2019 about Gender Equity in the Renewable Energy Sector
In this short article, I present the highlights from three different reports about gender equity and representation in renewable energy sectors.
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Solar Industry Insights
Fraunhofer ISE | Annual Report 2019/2020
Fraunhofer ISE’s report encompasses a great variety of solar engineering subjects which are all very important to the energy transition towards renewables.
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Who are Solar?
A Journey to Solar Energy: Student Testimonial - Dilara Kurt
By complete coincidence, I watched a travel documentary by Turkish journalist Coşkun Aral. It was called “The Utopia of Clean Energy: Freiburg”. I was hooked!
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Distance Learning
Tips for Going Back to Education as a Working Adult
Whether it is to widen their range of skills or to specialize on a subject, or to get promoted, more and more professionals go back to studying.
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Research Management
Ethics & Good Research Practice: What Students and Researchers Should Know
Ethical norms are so ubiquitous that one might be tempted to regard them as simple common sense; however, there are guidelines for responsible research.
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Solar Facts
PV Module Power Increase: A Glance Behind the Scenes
PV module manufacturers compete to increase the power generated per PV module under STC conditions; this is not only to meet the demand.
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Artificial Intelligence in PV
Artificial Intelligence Applications in O&M of PV Plants
In the solar energy sector, AI is now being used to help push solar PV toward grid parity in markets throughout the world through two complementary approaches.
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Who are Solar?
An Interview with SEE’s Program Coordinator Philipp Bucher
This interview is, however, a bit more personal. Philipp tells how he started to work in this industry; from its challenges and to rewarding experiences.
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Solar Facts
Failures and Defects in PV Systems: Introduction
Identifying failures and defects is the first step to keep a PV system in high-performance condition as a part of an Operation and Maintenance strategy.
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SEE's News
Graduation 2019
Our Graduation Ceremony took place in a wonderful atmosphere. Accomplishment, pride, comradeship, and joy were in the air.
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SEE's News
Campus Week Spring 2020
We are hosting our first Online Campus Phase due to the pandemic. Talks, conferences and time management workshops are just some of the activities.
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SEE's News
September 21, 2020 — Our 10th Anniversary!
For the 10th year of our program, expect a special edition of our Autumn Campus Phase. Keep an eye on this page and save the date!
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SEE's News
Campus Week Autumn 2019
Finally, it is time for students, alumni, and Lecturers to get together again! A week full of presentations, lab visits, conferences, workshops and more.
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SEE's News
Pekin - Webinar
Interactive, real-time seminar on solar energy and other renewables courses at the German universities. The seminar is aimed at Chinese students.
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SEE's News
7th Solar Energy Forum
The event is offered to the students of the Online Master in Solar Energy Engineering during the Campus Phase in Freiburg.
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SEE's News
Campus Week Spring 2019
Spring has come, so has the opportunity to reunite with our fellow students, lecturers, and tutors. This week is packed with lectures, workshops and networking.
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Solar PV Film Roll: revolutionary new production technology
"Solar PV panels are now a common sight around the world, and they do a great job. But they only work on flat surfaces. What about the millions of other surfaces that are not so conveniently shaped? That's where the flexible solar film comes in. The concept is not new, but now a UK company has developed a unique Solar PV film that could make the technology accessible to millions of more people in remote off-grid areas in developing nations." Video and Thumbnail belong to Just Have Think YouTube channel.
How Green Energy Could Bring More Rain to Africa
Africa’s Sahara desert is a prime location, some say, to build arrays of solar panels and wind turbines. But scientists are aware that building these structures can potentially have large-scale effects on the surrounding environment that are worth studying first.
Why the US isn't Ready for Clean Energy
The distance from an energy source to energy need is about to get a lot bigger. And the US is going to need more high-voltage transmission lines. A lot more. As soon as possible. While solar plants can be built relatively fast, high-voltage transmission projects can take up to 10 years. So experts say we need to start proactively building them, right now.
SWC50 - Session 6: Moving the Energy Transformation Forward
Lessons learned, and pathways needed to be explored & Bringing it All Together - An ISES Roadmap for the Next 50 Years. Speakers of the session: Dave Renné, Larry Kazmerski, Charlie Gay, Christine Lins, Lawrence Jones, Mike Eckhart and Rainer Hinrichs-Rahlwes.
SWC50 - Session 5: Public, Policy, and Financial Advances
Session 5 reviewed landmark changes in public support, policy development and financial markets that have advanced solar adoption and discusses future steps needed to enable 100% renewable energy world.
SWC50 - Session 4: Transforming the Heating and Cooling Sector
Session 4 provided overviews of solar thermal and other technologies to meet the heating requirements of industry and the heating and cooling requirements of communities and buildings.
SWC50 - Session 3: Transforming the Energy Sector
Session 3 discussed policy, regulation and market tools required to efficiently accelerate a transition to a low emission, low cost and reliable highly electrified energy sector in developed and developing countries. It included a review of the tools and technologies required to manage future grids with high penetration VRE. How these grids will sector couple traditional electricity needs with those of transport and industrial processes and the role that hydrogen might play was also discussed. Speakers of the session: Monica Oliphant, Lawrence Jones, Rashi Gupta, Geoff Stapleton, Ed Smeloff and Mike Davidson.
SWC50 - Session 2: Technology Innovations
Perspectives from research and industry provide an overview of the Technology Innovations that have spawned the energy transformation and explore what current and future RE technologies are likely to enable us to reach 100% as soon as possible. Speakers of the session: Eicke Weber, Fred Morse, Stefan Gsänger, Werner Weiss and Charlie Gay.
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The Next Generation of Solar Energy | Perovskite Solar Cells
Perovskite solar cells are a remarkably cheap solar cell technology and have achieved remarkable growth since their inception a decade ago. They have the potential to revolutionize the energy harvesting market, with cheap, high-efficiency solar energy in the near future.
SWC 50 - Session 1: Welcome and Overview of the Century of Energy Transformation
The International Solar Energy Society hosted it's SW 50 Conference and we want to share this great event with you. Session 1 highlighted major advancements and future visions and launched the SWC 50 virtual ISES Solar Energy Museum and the SWC50 celebratory booklet " The Century of Solar - Stories and Visions of Renewable Energy". Speakers of the session: Geoff Stapleton, Larry Kazmerski, Yogi Goswami, Klaus Vajen, Dave Renné, Gauri Singh, Paulo Frankl, Anna Skowron - all copyrights to ISES.org.
Solar energy in Morocco | DW Documentary
Solar energy in Morocco is transforming the renewable energy scene. One of the world’s biggest solar power plants is situated in Morocco. Watch this under-30-minute documentary to see how solar energy changes people's lives. The Morrocan entrepreneur Jaouad Ait Rebah installs solar panel's in the High Atlas Mountains - in the area’s picturesque, but remote villages.
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5 Inventions Showing Us the Future of Solar Energy
Scientists are working not only to increase the efficiency of the solar panels, but they also work on inventing various ways that solar energy can be incorporated in various and easier uses. This video highlights five interesting and promising inventions that show the future of solar energy. Catch up with the latest solar innovations here!
Solar Panel Efficiency Breakthroughs in 2020
The past year has had some really interesting advancements with perovskite and multijunction solar cells, which are going to have a big impact. Plus, the video explores how it might be possible to harvest power from shadows. Watch for interesting insights!
The Future of Renewables (2019 Update)
Wind turbines spinning in a field, solar panels on a rooftop...Creating a renewables-based energy future requires time, resources, and commitment. This video highlights the benefits and challenges facing a renewable energy system in the USA context.
Most Efficient Solar Cells and Panels in 2019
The values of efficiency have been taken from NREL charts. The technologies covered include Dye sensitized, Thin -Film, Poly crystalline Silicon, Mono crystalline Silicon and Multijunction Solar cells. In addition to these, Perovskite and organic solar cell efficiencies have also been listed.
The Beautiful Future of Solar Power | Marjan van Aubel
The sun delivers more energy to earth in one hour than all of humanity uses in an entire year. How can we make this power more accessible to everyone, everywhere? Solar designer Marjan van Aubel shows how she's turning everyday objects like tabletops and stained glass windows into elegant solar cells -- and shares her vision to make every surface a power station. (Thumbnail image by Mitch Payne)
Energy Efficient Buildings
Transforming buildings from energy consumers to energy suppliers? That is the vision of FraunhoferISE. Scientists and researchers explain how this can be achieved in this short yet informative video using the municipality building in Freiburg im Breisgau as an example.
How Do Solar Panels Work?
The Earth intercepts a lot of solar power: 173,000 terawatts. That’s 10,000 times more power than the planet’s population uses. So is it possible that one day the world could be completely reliant on solar energy? Richard Komp examines how solar panels convert solar energy to electrical energy.
