Solar energy is a form of renewable energy, in which sunlight is turned into electricity, heat, or other forms of energy we can use. It is a “carbon-free” energy source that, once built, produces none of the greenhouse gas emissions that are driving climate change. Addressing these challenges requires a transformation of our energy. The answer is solar energy is renewable. NASA also says the Sun still has about 5 billion. Photovoltaics (PV) is the conversion of light into electricity using semiconducting materials that exhibit the photovoltaic effect, a phenomenon studied in physics, photochemistry, and electrochemistry.