As many as 30 years ago, a school, office building or a home that took the steps to convert to solar energy were looked upon as pioneers setting the stage for a new era of energy.

But a quick look at the history of solar energy tells us that ancient Greeks and Romans understood the benefit in designing architecture in a way that allowed the sun to light and heat indoor spaces. They were quick to build houses and other structures that utilized glass or mica on the south sides of buildings to hold in the heat provided by a winter sun. And they did it with conservation in mind, not just as a way to stay warmer during cold months. Greeks and Romans were able to calculate the use of the sun’s energy, and would use those calculations to offset the need to burn wood, which was often hard to come by.

Forward-thinking industrialists could see that fossil fuels powering the Industrial Revolution in the 19th Century would eventually be used up. So solar power was again a way to conserve.

Despite this long history with solar energy, it never quite took hold in the late 1970s, when it first began to appear with solar panels on tops of buildings. In fact, many scoffed at the notion that this could work – especially if one was trying to utilize the new technology in regions of the country that couldn’t count on the sun being out consistently for days at a time.

But enter the current green movement and awareness, and the potential rises for solar energy to again become more accessible, more effective and, ultimately, more popular.

The technical description of a solar panel is a panel composed of several individual photovoltaic cells that are arranged in a grid pattern. This allows the panel to collect clean, renewable energy in the form of sunlight during the day, and converting that light into electricity in a direct-current voltage form for storing in a battery or for direct conversion to typical 120- or 220-volt alternating currents.

The technology, called solar photovoltaic, or PV, has been around for 70 years, with the discovery credit going to Albert Einstein. In some states, like California, new energy metering laws permit residents with solar grid systems to feed their excess solar energy back into the public electricity grid, which in effect will “spin back” the individual’s meter and qualify that person for compensation, or credits, for producing electricity.

Ken Sobel, the president of United Sustainable Energy in San Diego, was quoted in a national wire service story as saying that the cost of materials needed to install solar energy has become less expensive and more attractive for homeowners.

“Solar panels on a roof are a ‘badge of honor’ showing commitment to being socially responsible and green,” Sobel said.In general, solar panels are guaranteed to generate electricity for 25 years, and those in the industry estimate that a homeowner can expect to recoup in savings the entire investment in a solar panel system within about five years.

The Solar Energy Industries Association web site at seia.org is considered a good starting point for a consumer to get a basic primer on solar energy and its options. Solar-estimate.org is a free public service site that estimates solar, wind and renewable energy system costs and the payback and financial advantages.