| In the 1970s many homes began to use solar | | | | Any modern home with solar power is also going |
| technologies to receive a bit of electricity or to | | | | to have to consider the types of appliances |
| supply the family with hot water. Today, solar | | | | installed in the building as well. Not only will they |
| powered homes can do far more than create | | | | need to be energy efficient, but they may need |
| electricity while the sun shines. They can charge | | | | to be designed especially to meet the capabilities |
| entire banks of batteries that can operate | | | | of solar electricity. Are such items very difficult to |
| refrigerators, lights and other devices entirely "off | | | | acquire? Interestingly they are quite easy to find, |
| the grid", they can have specially designed | | | | and the major home improvement stores make |
| openings for incredible daytime lighting and they | | | | many available. |
| can have a range of exterior lighting options | | | | The exterior of many homes can also be |
| powered strictly and entirely by the sun. | | | | outfitted with a huge array of solar fixtures as |
| The majority of modern, solar powered homes | | | | well, and these are a far cry from the earliest |
| will have banks of collectors positioned to receive | | | | days of solar lighting. Today's lights come as lamp |
| and absorb optimal solar radiation. While some | | | | posts, wall-mounted units, motion sensor spot or |
| homes remain on the grid, and subsequently feed | | | | flood lights and even as highly decorative lamps |
| the public utilities as they charge their own | | | | that can be easily moved from one area to |
| batteries, there are others that aim to live entirely | | | | another. There are also many styles of solar |
| free of the utility companies all together. Incredibly | | | | security lights, which are hugely popular, and used |
| this is entirely possible as long as the home or | | | | for gardens as well as walkways and are often |
| structure has been optimized for such a design, | | | | installed for security as well as beauty. |
| and if it is in a geographic location that is not | | | | It is exciting to imagine where solar technologies |
| prone to cloud cover or lengthy periods of | | | | will be within the next thirty years, especially |
| overcast weather. For example, though areas of | | | | when one considers just how quickly the |
| New England do have solar powered homes and | | | | technology has advanced and then been |
| buildings, these tend to remain on the grid as the | | | | implemented in many day to day ways in our |
| colder months can see many days without the | | | | modern era. |
| type of brilliant sun required for solar power. | | | | |