A solar battery can be connected to your solar power system to enable you to use solar after the sun goes down, power an EV overnight, or provide backup power during emergencies. As solar panel costs decline and more people become aware of the financial and environmental benefits of solar energy, solar electricity is becoming increasingly accessible. Whilst utility costs continue to peak each year, having solar panels can help to reduce the impact.

Uses for solar energy extend to water heating systems. Most solar water heating solutions create hot water that is consumed inside the home. Solar water heaters use a rooftop cell to absorb the sun’s heat and transfer it to the water tank. Solar water heaters usually have a five to ten year payback. Another application of solar energy, especially in the southern regions, is heating swimming pools.

Typical uses of solar space heating systems include powering radiant floors or pairing with a Forced Hot Air (FHA) system to heat a home. Passive solar home design can also heat homes and businesses in the winter by taking into consideration the placement of windows and the selection of materials used in the building.

Solar lights have become ubiquitous and can be found everywhere from home landscaping and security lights to road signs and street lights. These solar lighting technologies for your home are inexpensive and readily available from basic to high-end designs everywhere from your local hardware store to online shopping websites such as Amazon.com.

In our connected world, phones and tablets are always with us and, let’s face it, often running low on battery. Portable solar PV chargers can keep our personal electric devices charged on the go. The technology already exists to integrate solar cells into our phones and has been in watches since the 1970s. Researchers in Japan have even developed lightweight, water-resistant solar cells that could someday be sewed into clothing to power our devices.

Solar-powered vehicles is the nearest future, with existing applications including buses, trains, airplanes and race cars. This use of solar energy is not yet widely available, unless you own an electric car or EV and charge it with solar panels (generally via a solar-connected battery).