Have you ever used a magnifying glass to make something melt or burn? You were using solar power!

Solar is the Latin word for sun – and its a powerful source of energy.

We can use solar power in two different ways: as a heat source, and as an energy source.

People have used the sun as a heat source for thousands of years. Families in ancient Greece built their homes to get the most sunlight during the cold winter months.

In the 1830s, explorer John Herschel used a solar collector to cook food during an adventure in Africa. You can even try this at home!

Today we can use solar collectors for heating water and air in our homes.

If youve seen a house with big shiny panels on the roof, that family is using solar power.

We can also use solar energy to make electricity.

Here is how solar power stations work:

Hundreds of mirrors are arranged around a tall tower.

The mirrors reflect sunlight onto the top of tower. It gets very, very hot.

Liquid salt at the top of the tower is heated by the sunlight. The hot liquid is used to make steam. The steam turns a turbine. The turbine turns a generator. The generator makes electricity.

Solar power stations are built in hot, sunny places. This one is in California, USA.

Solar power stations are very expensive to build. But the energy they use – sunlight – costs nothing at all!

Of course! You can buy a solar panel and install it on the roof of your house.