Solar energy exists in abundance in every part of the world. The only thing that prevents us from harvesting this power is our attitude towards it. Even though each region is exposed to the sun for at least 12 hours a day on average, we take it for granted.

For those who care about using solar energy in their daily lives, they may not know how to do it. Therefore in our world today, solar power can be made use of even more. It just takes a little awareness before more of us use it in our daily lives.

The sun gives off heat and light. Thus, even without technological advances, we can at least make use of the sun's heat or light. And nowadays engineers have made photovoltaic solar panels efficient enough for residential and commercial use. This gives us yet another reason to use solar power.

There are many ways to make use of the sun's heat. We can use it to warm up water for washing, bathing and cooking. We can also use it to heat air so our living spaces can be comfortable during winter. We can even use solar heating to cool different areas in our homes and offices. This is achieved by simple convection.

Water is easily heated by laying black pipes out in the sun and running water through it. A more sophisticated way of heating water these days is to use a solar heater. The solar collector absorbs solar radiation and converts it to heat energy, which remains trapped for as long as it takes for water to absorb it.

To get sunlight into your home or office, you will need to install a solar light tube. These devices are not too expensive and can help natural light get into your living area while keeping the heat out. Natural lighting is good for your eyes and is believed to be beneficial for health.

Electricity can also be generated when photovoltaic material is exposed to sunlight. Photons, upon striking the surface of special semiconductors transfer its energy to electrons, freeing them from their orbit. These electrons are made to go in a circuit under the influence of an electric field, thus producing electricity.

There are many types of solar cells that are used today. But the average efficiency of solar panels that are relatively affordable hovers below 16 percent. Even though we have technology that can improve solar panel efficiency up to 40 percent, they are currently beyond the means of the average household.

These high-efficiency PV panels are expensive because it is difficult to mass-produce them. In the near future when engineers are able to do so, many homes and offices will be able to enjoy cheap electricity harnessed from the sun. This can surely create a great impact to many people's financial health and improve the state of our environment.