A solar attic fan is installed on the roof and uses a built-in solar panel to power the fan motor. As the fan runs, it exhausts hot attic air to the outside. That outgoing air is replaced by fresh air entering through attic intake vents, most often soffit vents, which supports steady airflow through the attic during the hottest part of the day.
Some Solatube models add automatic controls. The ClimaSense Series uses temperature and humidity sensing to adjust ventilation based on attic conditions, which helps the fan run when it is most useful and reduces run time when conditions do not call for it.