| Fun facts about solar power are popular at any | | | | kilowatt-hour. * A study by the U.S. Department |
| age. People want serious information about solar | | | | of Energy (USDOE) showed that solar power |
| power, but sometimes, even the serious can be | | | | conditions were close to perfect (99 percent) in |
| expressed in fun facts. Fun facts on solar power | | | | San Francisco on June 14th, 2000. On that day, |
| include things such as the fact that, in a single | | | | 100,000 customers in that area lost power. Solar |
| hour, enough sunlight reaches the earth's surface | | | | power could have provided all they needed. * |
| to meet the entire world's energy needs for a full | | | | Another USDOE study showed that the roofs of |
| year. Imagine! That information comes from the | | | | California's city and county buildings, if covered |
| American Solar Energy Society. Here are some | | | | with solar PV panels, could generate 200 |
| more fun facts on solar power. 12 Fun Facts on | | | | megawatts of clean electricity! Cover California's |
| Solar Power * As early as 1921, the Nobel Peace | | | | school roofs with solar power panels, and you add |
| Prize was awarded for experiments with solar | | | | 1,500 megawatts more to the state's peak |
| power and photovoltaics. It was awarded to | | | | power supply. * In California, covering every |
| Albert Einstein. * When silicon is taken from just | | | | available commercial and industrial roof with solar |
| one ton of sand, and used in photovoltaic solar | | | | power panels could generate all of the electricity |
| power panels, that silicon can produce as much | | | | needed in that state during the daytime. * |
| electricity as 500,000 tons of burning coal. * In | | | | Germany is making the best use of solar power, |
| the U.S., there are more than 10,000 homes that | | | | even though its climate includes many cloudy |
| get their energy entirely from solar power. * | | | | days. * It takes only about 8 minutes for solar |
| Nearly 200 years ago, a British astronomer by | | | | energy to travel from the sun to the earth. |
| the name of John Herschel cooked food with | | | | Suggestion for school teachers: Have a contest to |
| solar power during an journey to Africa. * | | | | see which group of students can unearth the |
| California opened its first large solar power plant in | | | | most fun facts on solar power. |
| 1982. * Solar power can cut water bills by more | | | | © 2007, Anna Hart. Anna Hart, a career |
| than 50 percent each year in a home where a | | | | educator, invites you to read more of her articles |
| solar model replaces the electric water heater. * | | | | about solar power at Anna has also posted |
| The price of photovoltaic (PV) solar power panels | | | | articles on that site about portable solar power. If |
| has dropped 200 percent over the last 30 years, | | | | you are interested in solar power cars, you won't |
| according to the Department of Energy. Owners | | | | want to miss her article on the subject. |
| now pay between 10 and 40 cents per | | | | |