Alternative energy sources are in big demand today. The world is running out of oil and we're desperate to find ways to use the earth's other resources in order to power our demanding planet. The human race becomes more power hungry everyday, we must come up with alternatives to oil. One of those options is solar energy.

This is the technology used to harness the sun's energy and make it useable. Today it produces less than one tenth of one percent of worldwide energy demands. There is great talk of renewable energies an, amongst these solar energy is highly important. In order to obtain and actually use this form of energy there are many options available of which one is solar panels. An example of passive solar energy is the use of sunlight for direct heating and lighting in homes or buildings. Solar panels can be used on houses or commercial office buildings. Really, anywhere.

The best part is that this type of energy is free because the sun's energy is abundant and inexhaustible and available to all. You can use it to heat homes and business, grow food, treat water, the possibilities are endless. Once you come up with a use and put it into action there's no reason to stop using it. Homeowners can even collect enough solar energy to sell it back to their local power companies. This gives them free power for their own homes plus a little side income.

To setup a home solar heating and cooling system usually costs about $8-10 per Watt. Where government incentive programs exist, including tax rebates, installed costs as low as $3-4 watt - or some 10-12 cents per kilowatt hour can be achieved. If you are able to buy parts in bulk or wholesale it becomes even cheaper. The up front costs are the highest part, ongoing expenses are minimal and sometimes nothing.