Total solar energy absorbed by the Earth is more energy in an hour than the entire world uses in a year.

It is as much as energy per year as all fossil fuels available in the earth put together.

For new types of solar panel, the energy generated by a solar cell over time is between 10 and 32 times greater than the energy needed to produce and maintain the solar cells.

Although you can easily install solar-powered water heaters, or generate electricity from solar panels on your roof, these are relatively expensive to do, even if they save you money in the medium term.

Both heaters and electricity-generators also require installation, tanks, wires, panels, and all the rest of it.

If the above doesn't seem right for you at the moment, there are also home units which can be powered individually through solar energy, ranging from electric fences through solar ovens to pond pumps and swimming pool heaters.

Solar cookers are a big subject on their own, and a more detailed article about solar ovens and solar cookers can be found here.



This article looks at some of the items available today, and how they work.

