Both – depending on what type of system you are using.

• A Solar PV (photo voltaic) system converts sunlight into electricity which is either used immediately or stored in a battery for later use
• A Solar Thermal system takes the sun’s heat and transfers it into water which is used immediately to heat rooms or pools etc or else is stored for later use in a hot water tank.

Solar PV systems can be used to supply electricty to do almost anything your main grid supply does. However it is not as ‘powerful’ as mains electricity so you may need to use appliances which require less power. One way around that is to store the electricity created by a PV system in a battery and then draw on it quickly – so you can use normal powered devices.

Solar Thermal systems normally consist of tubes / pipes that water flows through. A pump then circulates the water so it is used either

• Immediately – in radiators or in swimming pools
• Stored – in a hot water tank  for house hold use.