The primary principle that people need to know more about include solar home heating, which involves getting solar energy and transforming it into heat. You will better appreciate solar heating systems and solar energy as a whole by knowing how the process works. Here is some more info. About the Collectors A solar energy collector gets the radiant energy from the sun to be converted into heat. You can create a tiny solar power generator with a budget of only $200 to $300. This is ideal for power failures and life outside the power grid. The setup can also effectively power the modem, television, DC appliances, computer, cameras and lights. You can use this in cabins, archaeological digs, tents and camping trips. There are now different techniques, methods and systems that depend on solar power to run plants, houses and offices effectively. You should learn more about these systems to determine the best types that will provide you with the most benefits. You can choose to make your own or just purchase one from top manufacturers. Parabolic dish systems provide the best efficiency over other technologies. The 50kW Big Dish in Canberra, Australia is a great example. The Stirling solar dish mixes a parabolic focusing dish that includes a Stirling heat engine that regularly drives an electric generator. The benefits of Stirling solar over PV cells are the higher conversion efficiency from sunlight into electricity, plus a longer lifetime. Also, the Greek s use of solar energy were not limited to religious purposes, as they even used the solar energy system to incorporate passive solar design in the construction of their houses. The Romans simply improved the Greek s design and also incorporated windows into their structures, allowing them to be able to trap more solar heat. Place the bottle in the shade and allow the meter to go down below ten. Finally, you have created your own solar cell. More on Building You can expect to finish the entire process in just 3 to 4 hours. It is important that you check out the different available resources first at your local hardware store and online so that you can get the most out of your budget.