Californians have struggled through drought for years now, and the effects are rippling through every part of the state's economy. One of the lone bright spots in recent years has been the proliferation of solar energy, a development which has played a pivotal role in allowing the state to manage its lack of water.

In recent years, distributed solar, which includes residential solar panels and those on the roofs of businesses, has thrived. There are now over 250,000 distributed projects in California, a figure which is roughly 50 percent of the entire country's total. Pacific Gas and Electric alone connects a new system every 11 minutes.

These installations don't just save money. They also save water, an increasingly precious resource in the Golden State. In fact, making the switch to solar energy is one of the most impactful things that a single person or business can do to aid in the water conservation effort.

John Rogers, of the Union of Concerned Scientists, explained to Grist.org just how vital this particular measure is.

"Families can use more water through power consumption than [from] directly within their homes, like from showers, toilets, and dish washing — two to four times as much," says Rogers.

Not only is solar financing helping residents handle the drought, but it could also prove to be a key piece in the efforts to reverse it and restore normalcy to the environment. If the recent extreme weather is caused — or exacerbated — by climate change, the best long-term solution to the issue will be to address energy efficiency. To learn more about how you can be a part of this process, contact SolarMax Technology.

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