Solar Energy Uses

In a single hour, the sun sends more energy to Earth than the world’s annual power requirement. A sustainable, clean, renewable source of energy, solar energy is free. The technology to harness and utilize it is widely available.

Residential Homes – Grid Tie-In

Many power companies provide a way that solar energy can be utilized in tandem with your conventional electricity. For those living in areas with short hours of sunlight to those that want to use sustainable energy, being able to utilize the energy of the sun is ideal. Tying into the grid and using both solar and conventional allows for an uninterrupted supply of power to a home.

When you tie into the grid, and use solar energy, you get the added benefit of having an electric meter that actually goes backwards when you generate more electricity than you consume. Any power that you generate in excess of your needs gets sent back to the grid. This energy is then used by other homes reducing the overall demand for conventional electricity. The electrical utility pays you for the electricity that you send back to the grid. The rate is less than what you pay when you consume it but the savings are worth it nonetheless.

A lot of homeowners use solar energy to power yard and security lights around the outside of there home. These lights, when using conventional power, consume a significant amount of electricity. Substituting solar lights for conventional lights in these areas makes sense because there is an immediate reduction in your electric bill.

Solar power may not be the answer to the entire household’s electricity requirement. However it is useful to implement solar energy where feasible, particularly for equipment such as outdoor lights, water heater, stove, etc. These are the items that typically use the most energy.

Residential Homes –Off-Grid

If you own a remote, isolated or rural home or cabin, the use of solar energy might be one of the few options for electricity available to you. For those that use stand-alone equipment in remote areas, solar energy is an ideal solution. Vacation homes in areas with significant sunlight are good candidates for a solar array.

Commercial Buildings

Many building owners are installing solar panels on their roofs to help reduce the cost of ever-rising electric bills. For larger building with flat roofs, the array of panels can be quite large and can substantially cut the cost of conventional electricity. Although the initial outlay of cash is large, it will save a lot of money in the long term.

Remote or isolated clinics, schools, community halls, and other buildings can benefit from the use of solar panels to harness the sun’s light for their electrical needs.

Streetlights and Signs

Around the world, more and more cities are leading by example and replacing old streetlights with solar powered streetlight, which saves them money and reduces the need for conventional electricity. Illuminated street signs and streetlights use a great deal of electricity. This electricity is typically produced from fossil fuels. Solar powered streetlights and street signs are available with systems that store energy when the sun is shining for use at night. Whenever solar electricity is used, the overall demand for conventional electricity is reduced.

Recreational Vehicles

Marine vehicles and RVs draw some power from their engine, which means that fuel is consumed and greenhouse gases are emitted. There are solar panels on the market that are affordable and designed to charge vehicle batteries. Solar retrofit kits are also available for some RVs and that means that you can run your RV on solar generated electricity no matter where you are.