As a member of Canada's Energy BOT Squad here's what you need to know.

DOSSIER: SolarBOT

I'm super active (and passive). But even so, I'm not the easiest bot to find; you have to look up, way up: SolarBot is hovering far above, trying to get as close to the sun as he can.

Heating

I keep Canadians warm in a few ways. Solar collectors can absorb solar radiation and store its converted heat in a hot water tank. Passive solar heat happens when a building is designed to absorb as much natural solar heat as possible.

Transportation

Canadians don't use solar power to fuel their cars. With one exception. The North American Solar Challenge where I get to feel the need for speed.

Electricity

Large solar projects like Sarnia's solar farm are pretty rare. I don't produce much of Canada's electricity. Instead, I mostly generate electricity and heat for individual homes and businesses.

How much?

A whole lot! In fact, every second, the sun produces enough power to melt a bridge of ice two miles wide and one mile thick, extending the entire way from the Earth to the sun. Now that's hot!

Where?

Even though every location in Canada receives some sunlight, some areas actually get more than others. Not surprisingly, Canada's "photovoltaic potential" is concentrated around the southern part of the country. Still, there are solar installations across Canada.

How does it work?

I have two settings: active or passive. With active solar power, like solar PV panels and solar heating, I convert sunlight into another kind of energy. Passive solar heating just draws light in with building features like windows.

Special powers

Look on the top of that house. It's SolarBot! Look on the side of that building! SolarBot, again! Is there anywhere he can't go? Basically: no. There are even panels that can be sprayed right on, like power-generating graffiti. SolarBot, you artiste you.

Global intelligence

SolarBot is pretty proud of Canada's solar energy: having the world's largest solar farm is a pretty big deal. But the rest of the world is keeping up; in fact, the global use of solar PV has increased by around 25 per cent every year for the last decade!

Next: Your next target: BiofuelBot. Here's what we already know: he's burning up like a prairie fire out there!