The Sun, Our Star: Energy
Dava Sobel explores the progress being made in tapping the Sun for its inexhaustible supply of free, clean energy
The Sun, our star, produces its prodigious energy by a process of nuclear fusion at its core. We are unable to mimic that trick here on Earth: our nuclear reactors work by splitting atoms, not fusing them, and generate a lot of toxic waste. With a free standing solar mini grid in Kenya and the problems of the old grid system in California, Dava Sobel explores the progress being made in tapping the Sun for its inexhaustible supply of free, clean energy.
Music composed by Chris O'Shaughnessy.
Co-produced with Tom Roseingrave.
Audio for this programme was updated on 8th September 2020.
(Photo: Solar panels on the Kitonyoni grid are cleaned. Credit: BBC)
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- Wed 12 Dec 201803:32GMTBBC World Service Online, UK DAB/Freeview, Europe and the Middle East & West and Central Africa only
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- Wed 12 Dec 201813:32GMTBBC World Service except News Internet
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- Sat 15 Dec 201817:32GMTBBC World Service News Internet
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- Wed 9 Sep 202019:06GMTBBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
- Sat 12 Sep 202016:32GMTBBC World Service News Internet
- Sun 13 Sep 202010:32GMTBBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
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