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Humans have been capturing solar energy for centuries. In the beginning, we used solar energy to heat our buildings and our water. We then discovered that through changes in wind and ocean temperatures fueled by the sun, solar energy could also be harnessed through hydroelectric systems and wind turbines. Today, we know that there’s energy in biomass, in ocean waves, and in sunlight. In fact, there is so much potential to power the planet with solar that we’re currently capturing only a small portion of it!

So what are some of the modern ways we capture solar energy?

Heating water with solar energy is not a new practice. Since the late 1800s homes have heated their water using solar power and it wasn’t until we discovered cheap fossil fuel energy that we started to see a movement away from this ancient practice.

Today, solar thermal water systems warm water for homes and buildings in a number of ways. Direct solar water heaters send water through tubes that loop through panels installed on the room, heating the water directly. Indirect systems, on the other hand, heat a transfer fluid that warms up and then passes the heat energy onto the indoor water system through a tank or other storage device.

Additionally, some systems are considered active because they require an electric pump to circulate the water or heat medium, while others are passive because they allow the natural convective movement of warm and cold water to circulate the fluids without a pump. Regardless of which type of solar hot water system you choose, these are highly economical solutions that provide significant energy savings.

This technology involves creating solar cells that convert sunlight into electricity. These solar cells are made up of conductive materials such as silicon spread in thin layers over small flat structures. They use chemical reactions to release electrons, creating a current through their quick movement.

Various technologies are implemented to either store this energy or use it directly. For storage, solar PV panels need to be connected to batteries for use later. In the more common direct use applications, the generated energy is converted into usable electricity for our homes, appliances, and even small devices like smartphones.