Solar & PV

Both Solar Thermal and Photovoltaic technologies use the sun as their source of power. These are clean technologies which do not contribute to air pollution problems. Additionally, the sun as a source energy will continue to serve us well into the future.

Solar Thermal projects take the sun's energy and transfer it to special liquids that create steam to run a turbine. Some projects use specially designed mirrors, and computer-aided sun tracking systems, to focus the sun's rays on piping containing thermally conductive fluids. While most utility-grade projects are remote from population concentrations, solar thermal technology can also be used to heat water and homes in urban areas.

Photovoltaic (or PV) technologies use the sun's energy in a much more direct manner. Photons from the sun "excite" electrons on PV panels, yielding a "flow" of electricity. Many small consumers use PV to power them, such as calculators and radios. Breakthroughs are continually happening with PV technologies, including improvements in the materials used in the panels; they are becoming more robust and efficient.

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