About solar thermal energy

Educational value

• This resource is useful for the Australian Curriculum content descriptions in year 6 science about using energy from a variety of resources to generate electricity, and in year 7 science about some of the Earth's resources being renewable and others non-renewable. It describes how the heat from the Sun can be used to generate electricity, but acknowledges that it is not a commonly used form of electricity generation.
• The resource can contribute to students attaining the elements of the year 6 achievement standard about describing how energy can be transformed from one form to another, and the year 7 achievement standard about the way in which resources are cycled through the Earth's systems and how they can be used sustainably. It describes how heat energy can be transformed into electrical energy.
• The resource is relevant to the sustainability cross-curriculum priority, particularly the eighth organising idea about designing actions for sustainability. It outlines the potential use of solar thermal energy and the savings in carbon dioxide emissions, particularly given Australia's high incidence of solar radiation.

Year level

6; 7

Topics Renewable energy Energy conversion Electricity Solar energy Nonrenewable resources