SOLAR ENERGY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does solar energy mean? 

• SOLAR ENERGY (noun)
  The noun SOLAR ENERGY has 1 sense:

1. energy from the sun that is converted into thermal or electrical energy

  Familiarity information: SOLAR ENERGY used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SOLAR ENERGY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Energy from the sun that is converted into thermal or electrical energy

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural phenomena

Synonyms:

solar energy; solar power

Context example:

the amount of energy falling on the earth is given by the solar constant, but very little use has been made of solar energy

Hypernyms ("solar energy" is a kind of...):

alternative energy (energy derived from sources that do not use up natural resources or harm the environment)

 Context examples 

The albedo of the planet increases, reflecting more solar energy back into space.

(Climatic feedback mechanisms, NOAA Paleoclimate Glossary)

Scientists have discovered how diatoms –- algae that produce 20% of the Earth's oxygen –- harness solar energy for photosynthesis.

(Scientists discover key factors in how some algae harness solar energy, National Science Foundation)

The findings will enable new innovative model systems for solar energy conversion to be developed.

(Scientists pioneer a new way to turn sunlight into fuel, University of Cambridge)

Using ancient sediment from outcrops along the edge of the lake, Emily Beverly, a sedimentary geologist at the University of Houston, along with researchers at Baylor University, generated a water-budget model to see how Lake Victoria's levels respond to changes in evaporation, temperature, rainfall and solar energy.

(Environmental change in Africa: Will it lead to a drying Lake Victoria?, National Science Foundation)

Although the force of the wind on Mars is not as strong as portrayed in an early scene in the movie The Martian, dust lofted during storms could affect electronics and health, as well as the availability of solar energy.

(Study Predicts Next Global Dust Storm on Mars, NASA)

A new study, led by academics at the University of Cambridge, used semi-artificial photosynthesis to explore new ways to produce and store solar energy.

(Scientists pioneer a new way to turn sunlight into fuel, University of Cambridge)