To demonstrate this, the World Solar Challenge Car Race from Darwin to Adelaide each year involves dozens of cars that are powered only by the energy of the sun. Background Solar power comes from the energy of our Sun, a yellow dwarf star located 150 million kilometres from the Earth. The interior of the Sun is a region very high in temperature and filled with dense gases. The Sun's core is estimated to be approximately 27 million degrees Fahrenheit. Heat and light from the Sun are produced through a process called nuclear fusion .
Sunlight is an excellent energy source and the future of using solar power is very exciting.
The Sun's energy can be used to heat and cool buildings, generate electricity, operate communication and navigation systems and even power solar cars, like the ones in the World Solar Challenge. The cars use hundreds of photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electricity. Each cell produces about 0.5 volts of electricity. When the World Solar Challenge teams design their electrical systems they have to allow for variations in sunlight. The Sun's energy powers the car's motor and charges a battery for use when the Sun is hidden by a cloud.