The Uses of Solar Energy in the US

The Uses of Solar Energy in the US

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Uses of Solar Energy

Solar energy has many uses. It can be used to provide heat, light or to generate electricity. Passive [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] refers to the collection of heat and light; passive solar design, for instance, uses the sun’s energy to make homes and buildings more energy-efficient by eliminating the need for day-time lighting and reducing the amount of energy needed for heating and cooling. Active solar energy refers to storing and converting this energy for other uses, either as photovoltaic (PV) electricity or thermal energy.

The uses of solar power in some States of the US

Texas, due to its large size and abundant sunshine, has the largest solar energy resources among the states. Several other states, however, lead the nation in terms of using solar energy, mostly due to state policies and incentives that encourage the installation of solar energy systems.

California is the nation’s largest solar energy market by far, and has eff ective state initiatives promoting the industry. Other states with notable markets for solar energy include New Jersey, Arizona, Colorado and New York. Even so, in 2006 solar energy accounted for just 0.01 percent of all U.S. electricity, mainly because of its higher costs compared to other power options.

Solar energy plays an even smaller role in the Texas electricity market. Still, Texas has the sunshine, manufacturing base and research institutions needed to become a leader in the development of solar energy. The state is well positioned to compete with other states and countries in a global solar energy market worth $10.6 billion in 2006.

One study estimates that Texas could capture about 13 percent of all new jobs and investments related to solar photovoltaic technologies by 2015, primarily in manufacturing.