Solar are used to power all sorts of electronic equipment, from solar-powered handheld calculators that will function as long as sunlight is available, to remote solar-powered sensor arrays in bouys, and even some experimental vehicles and boats. Solar are also placed on outdoor lighting structures - the solar cell is charged during daylight hours, and at night, we get free electricity to keep our streets well-lit and secure. Solar are used extensively on satellites, where array of solar cells provide reliable power for the satellite's electrical systems.
Solar Power plants, which are large collections of solar panels arranged to generate commercial electricity, are becoming more and more frequent these days. While still between 2-5 times as expensive to produce as electricity from fossil fuels, electricity generated from solar panels is free, nearly infinitely abundant, and non-polluting. Many environmentally-minded communities across America have set up solar power stations to help generate private or commercial solar energy.
Powering homes with solar power has also been a major part of the solar revolution the last two decades have seen. Solar can be placed on the roof of homes, businesses, or remote research stations, and can be used independent of or in conjunction with the local power grid.
Universal Solar panels are clean - while generating electricity from sunlight, solar panels produce virtually no pollution, whereas burning fossil fuels releases large quantities of toxic gases into the atmosphere.
For the consumer, solar panels can free the individual from reliance on the power grid and the monopolistic energy supplier. Once you make the initial investment in hardware, you will have free electricity for years to come.
Fossil Fuels are limited - Although fossil fuel reserves are expected to run dry within the next century, solar power is clean, abundant, and will remain a renewable resource that can meet all of Earth's energy needs for billions of years to come.