6 Minute English from BBCLearningEnglish.com

Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBCLearningEnglish. I'm Neil.

And I'm Beth. As the world switches from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy,

solar panels are appearing in more and more places, and with good reason.

Yes, today the world is generating 10 times more solar electricity than a decade ago,

and what's more, solar is the only energy source on track to meet the UN's 2050 net zero targets.

But there's a problem, space. As the rooftops in our cities and towns get filled up with solar panels,

finding space for them becomes difficult. In this programme we'll be exploring two

surprising solar projects to build PV panels in all kinds of weird and wonderful places,

and as usual we'll be learning some useful new vocabulary too.

Great, but first I have a question for you, Beth.

Harnessing the power of the sun is not new. In fact, solar power dates back over 2,700 years.

In 213 BC, mirrors were used to reflect sunlight back onto Roman ships attacking the city of

Syracuse, causing them to catch fire. But which ancient Greek philosopher was responsible for this

solar heat ray? Was it A. Are comedies, B. Socrates or C. Pythagoras?

I think it was Pythagoras.

Okay, Beth, I'll reveal the answer later in the programme.

Our first surprising solar project takes place in one of the world's biggest car parks owned by a

US supermarket giant Walmart. Joshua Pierce, a researcher at Western University in Ontario, Canada,

wants Walmart to introduce solar canopies in all their car parks.

A canopy is a cover fixed over something to provide shelter or decoration.

Joshua's canopies protect customers' cars from the sun and rain while the solar panels

...