First you need to know that there are two types of solar power systems – passive and active.

Passive solar systems use the Sun's energy (heat) without mechanical assistance. To get plans for an affordable, money saving passive solar water heater visit the do it yourself solar heater site.

For an in-depth discussion on how to use and set up passive solar options for your home read the “Passive Solar Heating and Cooling Manual” found on the Arizona Solar Center website.

Active Solar systems use mechanical devices and external energy sources in addition to solar energy to collect, store and distribute the Sun's energy. To learn how you can make your own solar power panels for a lot less than you'd think - visit this great site.

Hybrid Solar systems use a combination of passive solar collection and active elements to transport heat to a storage system.

Solar cookers use absolutely no fuel for cooking, instead they use the heat of the sun. You can boil, roast and bake using a solar cooker. There are a variety of types including: box, panel, parabolic, kettle and hybrid. The only limitations to using a solar cooker is it takes longer to cook food and, of course, you need constant sun. However, given the free source of energy it uses, this is a great option for cutting down on constantly rising energy bills and reducing pollution from conventional energy sources. Read more about the different types of solar cookers at Wikipedia.org. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_cooker. And, then, get your plans to build your own at the DIY Solar Power kits site.

Solar lighting: A solar home lighting system converts solar energy into electrical energy for your home. This is done via cells that are charged by the Sun's rays. So, if you are wondering how the lights are kept on during the night, it is due to the extra solar energy that is stored in a battery. You can install a solar home lighting system in your house and not worry about high electricity bills. To see just how easy this is to do yourself, check out it here – they have step by step videos that make it simple.

Solar heating system: Installing a solar heating system in your home helps cutting down your electricity bill along with saving the world’s quickly-exhausting power. If you are worried that a solar heating system will be an expensive investment, you will find that the benefits out way the costs. As far as the expenditure is concerned, investing in a solar heating system is wise because you get a return on your investment within 3-4 years (depending on your location), giving you absolutely free service after that. Your pay off is even faster if you build your own system!

Solar water heating: There are several different ways to heat your water using solar power. You can even make your own solar power source.  The water runs through pipes before it enters your home. The water gets heated as it passes through the solar collector. As the water passes through the pipes it goes into the storage tank, and the storage tank holds the heated water, until you need it. Heating water using solar power is very affordable and can be installed with minimal effort. To watch a video explaining the process go here.  Choosing to heat your water using solar power is a wise choice and a first step in making a choice to help preserve our environment by going green without suffering!

Solar cooling system: The easiest way to cool your home, is by planting a deciduous  tree on the south side of your house to reduce direct solar gain. To quote the "PSHCM": "Passive cooling techniques can be used to reduce, and in some cases eliminate, mechanical air conditioning requirements in areas where cooling is a dominant problem. The cost and energy effectiveness of these options are both worth considering by homeowner and builders." For a more detailed explanation of the various methods read the "Passive Solar Heating and Cooling Manual" put out by Rodale Press and the Arizona Solar Center.