Fun Facts
1. Though the sun is 93 million miles (150 million km) from the earth, it takes less than 10 minutes for light to travel that distance.
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2. The Solar City Tower is being constructed for the Brazil 2016 Olympics. At 100 meters tall, it will provide enough solar energy to power the Olympic Village and Olympic venues all day long.
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3. Most TV and communication satellites are powered by solar energy from photovoltaic cells.
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4. The amount of solar energy that hits the earth in one minute meets the world’s energy needs for one year.
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5. The cost of solar panels has fallen approximately 100 times over since 1977. Today, solar panels are about half the price they were in 2008.
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6. Solar panels have a lifespan of between 25 and 30 years.
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7. Solar energy has been used for over 2700 years.
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8. Space missions use solar energy to power spaceships.
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9. In 1480, Leonardo Da Vinci predicted that there would be a solar
industrialization.
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10. Greeks and Romans were the first to use solar energy in their designs, by building south facing windows in their homes that allowed the sun to heat and light indoor spaces.