About the Arizona Solar Energy Industries Association
Solar energy is the cleanest, most abundant, renewable energy source available. And Arizona's has one of the most powerful solar insolation footprints and is positioned to become the solar capital of the United States.
Today's advanced solar technologies allow us to capture and convert solar power in several ways giving the public and commercial entities flexible ways to employ both the heat and light of the sun.
The greatest challenge the U.S. solar market faces is scaling up production and distribution of solar energy technology to drive the price down to be on par with traditional fossil fuel sources.
Solar energy can be produced on a distributed basis, called distributed generation, with equipment located on rooftops or on ground-mounted fixtures close to where the energy is used. Large-scale concentrating solar power systems can also produce energy at a central power plant.
There are four ways we harness solar energy:
- Solar Photovoltaics (converting light to electricity),
- Solar Heating and Cooling Systems (Solar Thermal)
- Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) (utility scale),
- and Solar Lighting.
Solar Systems Also Classified as Either Active or Passive Solar Systems:
- Active solar energy systems employ devices that convert the sun's heat or light to another form of energy we use.
- Passive solar refers to special siting, design or building materials that take advantage of the sun's position and availability to provide direct heating or lighting. Passive solar also considers the need for shading devices to protect buildings from excessive heat from the sun.