Final answer:
A turbine can generate electricity in the form of alternating current, while solar panels produce direct current. The sun contributes to wind formation by unevenly heating the Earth's surface, generating winds that can be harnessed by wind turbines to produce electricity.
Step-by-step explanation:
A spinning turbine can generate electricity only in the form of a alternating current (AC). Of all the alternative energy technologies presented in this section, only solar panels produce a direct current (DC). The role the sun plays in allowing power to be produced with wind turbines is indirect but critical. The sun heats the Earth's surface unevenly due to various factors like angle of incidence, different types of terrain, and the varying capacity of water and land to hold heat. This uneven heating causes areas of low and high pressure, which in turn cause wind. Wind energy is captured by wind turbines, which use the kinetic energy in moving air to turn blades connected to a generator, thus producing electricity.