Solar Power

If we could harness all the sunlight that reaches earth our energy problems would be over.  In fact we'd produce a thousand times the energy we currently squeeze out of fossil fuels.   Of course solar power isn't a pipe dream. It's being used all around us every day.

If you want to go green with solar power. Panels on your home would be the way to go. But here in Rochester, the sun isn't always shining. So you might want to take some smaller steps first.

"It is pretty cool because it is, you know, pretty sci-fi-ish. You think, how is it working, you know, you don't use any electricity," says Heather Neville.  She works at Lowes and says new solar products hit the loading dock every day.  

"We grew up in an age where you got to plug everything in, and there was an electrical plug for everything," says Neville.  Now we're starting to plug directly into the sun. Visit any home improvement store and you'll find dozens of solar powered garden lights.  They come complete with a solar panel that charges the batteries inside.

All you have to do is sit back and save!

"On average, you're going to probably save about thirty dollars a year, depending upon how much you use it and how many you have." Neville adds.  
 

"When you take the expense of having to pay the electrical bill month after month, there can be some cost savings in that," says Dianne Ascencio of the Texas D.O.T.

They are using solar power to cut costs.  "I think everybody benefits from TX D.O.T. using solar equipment."

Tex-dot began installing solar panels on the flashing lights above traffic signs about 4 years ago.