Since the beginning of mankind we have been using solar power for heat whether it simply be setting out in the sun and warming up or today’s high tech devices that convert the suns energy into electricity. Over the past 100 years our dependence on solar power has diminished as we used the natural resources such as gas and coal to heat our homes and create electricity for our ever whim. History has a way of repeating itself just like when the automobile was fist introduced their was a divergence on how to power it many companies produced electric cars even steam cars were made for a short time but it was not until the advent of cheap gasoline that the manufactures concentrated their efforts on the gas power internal combustion engine. Today the car manufactures are looking to alternative fuels again they are looking at electricity for a car power source just like they were some 100 years ago.

The same thing is happening with the pool and hot tub industry at one time the only way to heat water was with the sun today pool supply companies are again looking at using the free solar energy being supplied by the sun to heat our pools. We have all sent the standard black panels surrounding pools that have pool water pumped through them and the suns energy is transferred to the pool water. This solar heating of the water results in a better user experience in pool or hot tub usage the water is warmer and will remain warmer in the fall and will heat up quicker in the spring allowing a longer swim season.

Today’s new solar panels are much more efficient than the panels of old the new technology has been imported from Europe where the cost of energy is much higher so the development of alternative energy has been accelerated.

Today pool manufactures are looking closer at utilizing the suns energy to help reduce the amount of fossil fuels our pools consume each year. A new item on the market is a solar powered skimmer this skimmer is an automatic pool cleaner that runs completely on solar energy no wire no hoses, I just swims through the water collecting debris, the manufacture claims that with the new solar skimmer you can reduce the operating time of your pump by two thirds! The solar skimmer also acts as a chlorine distributor it will dispense chlorine as it does its job. The manufacture is looking at adding some other features such as a remote control and a pool alarm to the skimmer.