If done right, you can actually lower your annual utility bill by as much as 80%, which is very significant, especially if you are trying to find ways to save some money. Also, there are certain programs that allow solar energy systems user to sell back energy or electricity that they were not able to consume to the utility provider, giving you more ways to save money. The windows should be sized properly too, so that optimal heat gain will be attained. The home has to be insulated to reduce loss of heat. Passive cooling is a kind of solar cooling. The main idea behind passive cooling is to reduce the impact of the sun by orienting the landscape and the house so that you get the most benefits out of cool breezes. The parabolic trough is the most developed. Other structures made include the Stirling dish, the linear Fresnel reflector and the solar power tower. Several techniques are used to locate the sun and concentrate light. Working fluid is also heated in all the systems using concentrated sunlight, which is then applied for storing or generating power and energy. There are plenty of ways to collect solar energy such as through parabolic troughs, solar panels, solar dishes and solar power towers that have reflecting mirrors. A number of solar collectors are categorized as either concentrating or non-concentrating. Concentrating and Non-Concentrating The concentrating gatherers use panels that are angled the right way to absorb the prime point of the direct rays of the sun. Depending on the size, solar panels can power anything from RVs to huge plants. It is also important that you understand how the panels work and where you can apply these so that you can get the most benefits. Here are some more details and info about the material. What are Solar Panels? Solar energy starts with the sun. Solar panels do not have any moving parts and will need only minimal maintenance. As soon as the system has paid for its initial installation costs, you can get the benefits for several decades more for free. Buying Solar Panels There are plenty of places where you can buy the best solar panel models.