Solar cells make enough energy to power this torch. Hundreds of solar cells connected together make enough electricity for homes and offices, or to keep small villages supplied with electricity.
Electricity from these solar cells keeps buildings heated and lit.
This housing area in the city of Amersfoort in The Netherlands runs on electricity from solar cells. It is one of the largest solar-powered housing projects in the world. It also includes solar-powered schools anda sports centre.
This space station uses solar power.
High above the Earth, solar power is used to keep spacecraft working. The solar panels create enough electricity to power the International Space Station, a large spacecraft where astronauts live and work.
Making a solar cell uses up a lot of energy.
Making solar cells is expensive and uses up energy. It takes up to four years to create enough energy from one solar cell to make up for the amount of energy used to create it! In the future, the cost of making solar cells may come down.