Solar Power Energy
Solar Energy is the basic energy generated from the sun - meaning the output of heat, light, UV radiation. Solar Thermal Energy is a technology used to harness the power of our star, Sol, what we refer to on a daily basis as the sun. There is also other ways of gaining the benefit of solar energy and converting the energy from heat and light into electricity. In fact there are two ways of using the energy of the sun for electricity, and one way to use it for other means currently. Everything on earth currently is affect and influenced by our sun - plants convert light into the energy they need to grow through photosynthesis, wind power is influenced by the constant warming of the sun causing high and low, warm and cool, pressure systems to form, giving us our wind. The suns power to help is also powerful enough to hinder in the cases of cancer and overheating - in fact the very cause of Global Warming is the sun's thermal energy being trapped in our atmosphere by excess gasses.
Solar Thermal Energy is energy gained from the sun and thus used as heat. It can be focused by mirrors and used to heat water to increase the efficency of a hot water heater, or it can be a magnificently large setup of mirrors that beam light at one location that superheats until it can power a steam turbine - or it can be used to heat a sterling engine (which has about a 40% efficiency in turning the sun's power into mechanical power - and then into electric energy through generators).
Energy can also be directly converted from light to electricity with the use of photovoltaic cells, or 'solar cells'. It converts light energy into electrical energy, when it is specifically the sun's light that is used it is considered a solar cell. Solar cells are used in many roadside assistance phones, or where a power grid is not available. They are expensive and they do not provide as much efficency when compared to the sterling engine usage, being at only 12% in optimal conditions.