The sun gives more than 35,000 times of the energy produced and consumed by human beings. This energy is known as solar energy and it is harnessed for different purposes like lighting and heating homes and even for running vehicles. The best thing about solar energy is that you are never going to run out of it even if you continue to use it for thousands of years.

Two Forms of Solar Energy

Solar energy is available in two forms, heat and electricity. Solar cells also known as photovoltaic cells are the basic components that transform solar energy into electricity.

Solar panels don’t release any type of greenhouse gases and they can generate solar power even when there is no direct sunlight. Modern solar power systems can generate electricity even when it is cloudy conditions. Electricity can also be generated from solar power by first creating heat and then running power generators using the steam thus produced.

The use of sunlight for generating solar energy is not something that is new. The Chinese, Greeks and Native Americans have been using solar energy thousands of years ago for keeping their homes warm and free from diseases.

Switching to Solar Energy

Before switching to solar energy, there are a few questions that you must consider. These questions are:

• The cost of converting from traditional to solar energy

• What about partial conversion

• The amount of money that you would be able to save on your current energy bill

• The amount of time you would take to recover the initial cost of installation

• Is the conversion going to increase your home’s equity

In case the cost of switching your entire home to solar energy is going to cost a lot, you can consider partial switching. The unique thing about solar power systems is that you can choose to power either your entire home or just a few rooms. It can also be used to power just a few home appliances or to heat water.

Dual Benefits of Solar Energy

You may be planning to live in your home for a long-period or for a short-period, but installing solar power system has benefits both ways. In the long-term you would be able to recover the initial costs of installation and will gradually have to bear zero-cost energy bills. And, in the short-term solar energy systems are going to increase the value of your home. So, you would be able to recover more than the cost of the system installation at the time of selling the home.

Even when you switch partially to solar power, you would be contributing a lot towards saving natural resources and protecting the environment. Switching by any degree to solar energy will also mean that you are saving money. The advantages offered by solar power systems simply beat other forms of energy systems including other renewable sources of energy like wind energy. The unique thing about solar energy technology is that it has been developed to a much better level compared to other renewable energy sources when it comes to using for domestic purposes. Today, there are more suppliers of solar energy products than any other renewable source of energy. And, this means the technology is relatively cheaper and much more feasible for both residential and commercial settings.