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Watch our Energy 101| Solar video to learn how solar panels converts the energy of the sun into clean, renewable electricity.

Top 6 Things You Didn't Know About Solar Energy
Installing a concentrating solar power system in Gila Bend, Arizona. The curved  mirrors are tilted toward the sun, focusing sunlight on tubes that run the length of the mirrors. The reflected sunlight heats a fluid flowing through the tubes. The hot fluid then is used to boil water in a conventional steam-turbine generator to produce electricity. | Photo by Dennis Schroeder.

Counting down our list of top things you didn't know about solar energy -- read on for more on the most abundant energy resource known to mankind.

White House Champions of Change Recognizes Solar Innovator
Dr. Siva Sivananthan at the Sivananthan Laboratories in Bolingbrook, Illinois. | Photo courtesy of Megan Strand, UIC

A solar innovator among a group of honorees representing the best and brightest entrepreneurs from around the world.

Solar So Simple It Is Just a Click Away
Incubator 6 awardee Sun Number converts complex aerial data into an easy-to-understand solar suitability score ranging from 1 to 100, with 100 being the ideal rooftop for solar. | Photo courtesy of Sun Number.

The SunShot Initiative is working to make it easier for consumers to install solar panels on their homes.

Is it a bird? Or a plane? It's a solar plane!
Solar Impulse's HB-SIA prototype is starting the crossing of America. First leg is Moffett Airfield at the Ames Research Center of NASA to Phoenix Sky Harbour Airport. Solar Impulse will fly across America in stages from San Francisco to Washington D.C. and New York City. | Photo by Fred Merz, Solar Impulse.

The Solar Impulse -- a solar-powered aircraft -- is pushing the boundaries of innovation. Learn how our SunShot Initiative takes a similar approach to advancing game-changing, clean energy breakthroughs.

Photo of the Week: Converting Solar Energy into Fuel
In this photo, Brookhaven scientist Dmitry Polyansky examines a vial containing a specialized catalyst designed to help convert solar energy into fuel. Producing clean-burning hydrogen fuel from just sunlight and water requires custom-built catalysts for water oxidation -- the part of the water-splitting process that generates oxygen atoms. A tiny amount of the solid catalyst, developed in collaboration with the University of Houston, dissolves and turns the water that lovely shade of blue. | Photo courtesy of Brookhaven National Laboratory.

Check out our favorite energy-related photos!

Solar, Wind, Hydropower: Home Renewable Energy Installations
This Lakewood, Colorado home was built in 1956. Brent and Mo Nelson upgraded the home with multiple solar technologies including; daylighting, passive solar and active solar. They also have an 80 gallon solar hot water heater. | Photo by Dennis Schroeder, National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

A guide to figuring out if solar, wind or other small renewable energy system is right for you.