The sun is where all energy on the earth comes from. Solar energy has been used for thousands of years to heat homes and water, but only recently has it been reliably converted to electricity to power your home.

Using the suns natural energy solar panels convert solar power into electricity to use in your home. Renewable energy systems are able to collect enough solar energy that you will not have to rely on the power company to provide for all of your electrical needs. You will want to get a good understanding of how the solar energy systems work.

There are three things solar energy systems have in common. They all use photovoltaic panes as a power source which is similar to the large turbines or fossil fuel generators used in large power plants. They all have a power storage unit used to store solar energy for later use when you need it. And they all have a load, which is the amount of energy your individual home draws to produce the solar energy.

There are 3 types of solar energy systems to choose from for your home. You will want to learn about each one to make an educated decision as to which one is best for your needs. The On grid solar energy system receives the power from your local power company. You are able to sell back any unused power to your local power company, in the event of a power failure, keep in mind you will be without power. When using the off grid solar energy system, you are not connected to your local power company and in the event of a power failure; you will continue to have power.

The solar power is stored in a solar battery or in the system itself. You may want to choose the grid plus battery solar energy system. You have a solar battery backup and you are also connected to your local power company. During a power failure, you will not loose power; you will be able to access solar power with the solar battery backup. The grid plus battery solar energy system allows you to sell any unused power to your local power company.

When considering which solar energy system is best suited for your needs, make your home as energy efficient as possible. Using only florescent bulbs, energy efficient appliances, double paned windows, adding insulation and converting old electric appliances to gas are just a few energy saving ideas. You will have a better understanding as to how much power you use each month to determine which solar energy system is right for your individual needs.