Solar energy is harnessed from the light of the sun and can be converted into heat and electricity. Sunlight is captured using either concentrating photovoltaic (PV) collectors or flat plate PV collectors. For flat plate collectors, Nebraska has good, useful resources throughout the state. For concentrated collectors Nebraska has useful resources, especially in the western part of the state.

PV systems are reliable, portable, easily expanded, and have low environmental impact. These systems are available in either grid-connect or off-grid configurations. Challenges in harnessing solar energy include the intermittent and variable manner in which sunlight arrives at the earth's surface and the large area required to collect it.

To learn more about solar energy, visit the solar multimedia page.

Explore the links on this page to learn how photovoltaic collectors function. The U.S. Department of Energy and National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL) provide access to a wealth of technical information and solar resource maps. Explore the links to associations and publications which provide technical information and promote the use of solar energy.

If you have questions or are interested in information not addressed in these links, please contact us via email.