There are many uses for solar power and as time goes by innovators will come up with even more applications. Homes make up a very important segment of solar usage. People who live in remote areas benefit greatly because of the lack of conventional power sources The sun’s energy can be converted into AC power, by means of an inverter, to operate appliances. It can also be used to heat water and air. Solar power has even been used to bring wireless internet signals to remote areas.

Telecommunication capabilities are enhanced by solar power. For optimal reception and transmission a microwave repeater tower needs to be set in a high place, like on a mountain where it is impractical to run power lines. Solar energy can be used to keep these towers operating and optimize the signal for cell phones, radios and televisions.

Where electricity is used, solar energy can enhance every facet of our lives. In our recreational activities RV’s and boats can be powered by solar energy and equipped to go just about anywhere without worrying about where to buy the fuel. If you are out roaming in the wilderness and you find that you need assistance, emergency call boxes in remote areas can be operated on solar energy. This is a standard practice in California. This allows for a dependable network of phones without the necessity of running buried cables to them. Also, lighted highway signs that were traditionally run on fuel powered generators can now operate on solar power.

At this point in time, solar powered automobiles are experimental. There are people who drive them and there are even racing competitions among the owners. For now they are a novelty, but with advancements in technology, who knows what the future will bring. Applying solar energy in the commercial and industrial setting is practical because the physical plants of these institutions are very large and the available roof space is such that large expanses of solar panels can be incorporated.

Solar energy is self perpetuating. The only thing that is consumed by using it is what goes into the equipment needed to harness this power. There is no waste emissions of spent fuel to pollute our environment either. Research and development is costly as will be the process of retrofitting our lives, but the benefits of making optimum use of this virtually limitless resource are unfathomable.