Solar Energy

Solar Panels

Solar Heating
Solar Electricity
Solar Water Heaters
Solar Panels

Solar Panels

Solar panels are devices for capturing the energy in sunlight. The term solar panel can be applied to either solar hot water panels (usually used for providing domestic hot water) or solar photovoltaic panels (providing electricity). Countless corporations and institutions are currently developing ways to increase the practicality of solar power. While private companies conduct much of the research and development in this area, colleges and universities also work on solar-powered devices, especially solar-powered vehicles. In 2005 the most important issue with solar panels was cost, which was at $3-$4 USD per watt of installed power. Because of much increased demand, the price of silicon used for most solar panels is now experiencing upward pressure. This has caused developers to start using other materials and thinner silicon to keep cost down. Due to economies of scale solar panels get less costly as we use and buy more — as manufacturers increase production of solar panels the cost is expected to continue to drop in the years to come.