• Biomass Energy
• Geothermal Energy
• Hydrogen
• Hydropower
• Ocean Energy
• Solar Energy
  • Solar Radiation Basics
  • Solar Access
• Wind Energy

Exploring Ways to Use Solar Energy

Step outside on a hot, sunny day, and you'll experience the power of the sun's heat and the light. That's solar energy.

You can use solar energy to do the following:

• Heat your home through passive solar design or an active solar heating system

• Generate your own electricity

• Heat water in your home or swimming pool

• Light your home both indoors and outdoors

• Dry your clothes. Use a clothesline to reduce the energy consumed by your clothes dryer.

To enable your use of solar energy for these purposes, your community may have established solar access planning guidelines and/or ordinances.

If you live in the southwestern United States, you may even have the opportunity now or in the future to buy clean electricity from a concentrating solar power plant.

See Solar Radiation Basics to learn more about how solar energy works.

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