The heat and light produced by the sun can be harnessed through a range of constantly-evolving technologies. Among this diverse range of capture, storage and transformation methods are PV systems, air and fluid-based condensers, and even oil and molten salt-based heat transfer platforms.

The systems for harnessing solar power are broadly classified as either passive or active. Whereas active systems (like those mentioned above) contain specialized devices that convert the power from the sun into other forms of energy, establishing a passive solar system might involve positioning a building so that it faces the sun, building it out of materials that retain heat and designing its spaces so as to optimize airflow.

Once paired with the ready availability of solar energy, these diverse methods of capture, storage and transformation render the solar sphere an exciting prospect as societies look to sustainably shift their energy supply to renewable sources. Innovation and expansion in the sector has additionally led to solar solutions becoming increasingly affordable, turning solar into an environmental and economic rising star.

But this growth hasn’t come out of nowhere – America’s solar ascension has in fact been the result of combined public, private and regional efforts. Federal and state government policies such as the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) have allowed solar to flourish, while continually declining prices and a growing public awareness of the environmental and economic benefits of solar have also driven the industry forward.

And as the speeding train that is U.S. solar has powered onward, the state of California has served as its engine. Its high rate of insolation (exposure to the sun’s rays) and favorable state government measures have put California at the fore of U.S. solar development, with the California Energy Commission setting a goal of meeting 100% of the state’s electrical needs with clean energy by the year 2045. In 2020 California also passed legislation mandating the installation of solar panels for all newly constructed single and multi-family homes up to three stories high in the state.

With these factors and more in play, the U.S. is expected to keep blazing the trail for solar and the renewable energy transition for years to come.

All things considered, photovoltaic solar panels remain among the solutions best-positioned to facilitate the transition to renewable energy generation.

But for the solar industry to truly thrive, users also need ready access to established solar infrastructure. Thus, as the solar market expands and looks to reach more users, the industry is diversifying its offerings to ensure that consumers have access to a wide range of delivery options for their clean energy.

One of those options is that of ‘retail solar energy’, by which an energy retailer provides the user with their electricity, instead of them being required to get it from a traditional utilities provider. In the case of retail electric providers (REPs) such as Chariot Energy, clean energy is generated at expansive solar farms, before being transmitted directly to users. This system of solar delivery allows residents and businesses to enjoy solar energy without the need to install their own rooftop panels. 

As a retail affiliate of 174 Power Global, which is an arm of Hanwha Group, Chariot Energy is the first REP in Texas to include solar energy in every plan it offers. Those plans use Solar Renewable Energy Certificates (SRECs) to offset users’ energy usage. SRECs are credits that represent all of the renewable electricity on the market today and allow customers to tell whether the energy they are purchasing is green or not.