Solar energy is energy generated by the sun’s radiation. The sun’s radiation is created by the intense pressure and heat at its core, which creates a nuclear reaction called fusion. As the fusion process converts hydrogen into helium, it releases enormous amounts of energy in the process. This energy, in the form of radiant light and heat, escapes from the surface of the sun and radiates in all directions. It travels through space and strikes the Earth and other bodies.

Solar energy is the most abundant source of energy on Earth. The amount of solar energy striking the Earth’s atmosphere is approximately 1,366 watts per square meter. However, only a portion of this energy reaches the Earth’s surface because it is diffused, or scattered, as it passes through the atmosphere.