The sun is primarily a source of light and heat. But can it be our primary source of energy? Solar panels or thin films designed to collect sunlight are integral parts of the process to generate electricity by way of the sun.

The sun is our most impressive source of energy. More than one million times larger than the earth, the sun gives us ten times more energy than is stored in all the world’s reserves of coal and oil every year. Despite this, as of 2011, solar power accounts for less than one percent of all the electricity generated in the United States. Learn more about solar energy with this video from the Explore More: The Future of Energy series.