The sun's heat and light provide a sustainable source of energy that can be harvested by many different styles of solar collection. There are a variety of technologies that have been developed to take advantage of solar energy. These include concentrating solar power systems, passive solar heating and daylighting, polycrystalline and Monocrystalline solar panels, photovoltaic solar panels, and solar process heat. The ability for people to remove themselves from dependency to fossil fuels will help in providing a green earth for future generations.

• Monocrystalline - made from a single large crystal, cut from ingots. Most efficient, but also the most expensive. Somewhat better in low light conditions
• however, not usually as good as some advertising would have you believe).
• Polycrystalline - cast blocks of silicon which may contain many small crystals. This is probably the most common style currently. Slightly less efficient than single crystal, but once set into a frame with 35 or so other cells, the actual difference in watts per square foot is not much.
• Amorphous - "thin film", here the silicon is spread directly on large plates. Cheaper to produce, but often less efficient per area, which means larger panels for the same power. Unisolar is one example.

Solar power can be used in a variety of applications, both large and small. Businesses and industry can utilize both the wind and sun for sustainable energy sources, improving efficiency and costs along the way. Homeowners can also use solar technologies for heating and cooling, and may even be able to produce enough electricity to operate "off-grid" or to sell the extra electricity to the utility companies.