ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Solar Cities in Australia

Okay, so imagine if you could use the sun to help power your whole city. That's what a solar city is all about! In Australia, some cities are trying really hard to use solar power to keep their lights on and their houses warm.

The first thing you need to know is that the sun is really, really big and really, really hot. It gives off a lot of energy all the time, which is called solar power. People realized that if they could take that energy and turn it into electricity, they could use it to run all sorts of things like TVs, computers, and even streetlights!

In a solar city, people put special things called solar panels on their roofs or in big fields. These panels are made up of tiny things called solar cells, which take the sunshine and turn it into electricity. The electricity is then sent to big machines called batteries, which hold onto it until people need it.

When people in a solar city turn on their lights or plug in their phones, the electricity comes from those batteries instead of dirty things like coal or gas that cause pollution. That's good because it helps keep the air clean and the planet healthy!

But it's not just houses that can use solar power in a solar city. Schools, shops, and even big factories can use it too! In Australia, some cities are using so much solar power that they're actually generating more than they need. They can then sell that extra energy back to other places that might not have as much access to it.

So that's what a solar city is all about! It's using the power of the sun to keep our cities shining bright while also helping the environment.