Solar power has been around for ages, hundreds of years ago it could have been used to heat water for baths, but today we do it a little more high-tech. So to capture energy from the sun we use photovoltaic cells. Here's how they work.
When photons from the sun hit the cell, which is tiny, an electron breaks off the atom and is directed through a wire where billions of other electrons meet and travel through the wire to the appliance, whatever it may be. Then the electrons go through the negative layer and return to the titanium-dioxide molecule.
If that didn't help here's a video (FYI, it's a little more complicated)
These solar cells are so promising because people have been working on it for so long and have made it much more affordable. A solar-system for an average sized home would cost you around $10000 and would generate 815kWh a year. But because the solar panels help the government with their energy problem, they pay 30% of the original cost, bumping the total price down to about $7000. So because of the price, solar panels can easily be added to any residential area or home and create clean electricity.