Pros and Cons of Solar Power The advantages of solar energy continue to grow with more pros and experts learning more about the process and features. Of course, there are also a number of consequences especially for the person who does not study much about the devices. It is important that you weigh the potential of having your own setup. The Types There are 3 types of active solar applications that you can readily use in the home namely active solar pool heating, active solar space heating and active solar water heating. Active solar space heating can heat air inside the house by using pumps, blowers and fans that will distribute and gather heat. Even though the prototype selenium cells converted below 1% of incident light into electricity, James Clerk Maxwell and Ernst Werner von Siemens realized the importance of the finding. After the work of Russell Ohl during the 1940s, Calvin Fuller, Gerald Pearson and Daryl Chapin made the silicon solar cell in 1954. At this day and age, there are actually over 200,000 homes that use solar energy technology, 10,000 of which are powered solely by solar energy. And with the introduction of different photovoltaic integrated products, and incorporating them into the construction of your home, or your work place, you can actually save a lot just from the initial cost of construction as compared to building a conventional custom house. It is also important that you understand how the panels work and where you can apply these so that you can get the most benefits. Here are some more details and info about the material. What are Solar Panels? Solar energy starts with the sun. Solar panels are also known as photovoltaics and are primarily used to convert light from the sun. The Stand Alone System There are small stand-alone electric systems that are very good at giving economical electricity. These systems are mainly used to power RV, lighting, backup power systems, portable power systems and cabins. The size of the array of photovoltaics or the number of solar panels, as well as the battery will rely on the individual power requirements.