People in Sudbury, Ont., are heating their homes with recycled cans from Newfoundland and Labrador.

A Sudbury company is selling a solar energy system that's manufactured in Dildo, Newfoundland, about 100 kilometres west of St. John's.

The system consists of a Lexan-covered panel made from almost 250 used cans and a thermostatically controlled fan. The aluminum cans are painted black to absorb heat from the sun. The fan moves air warmed by the panel into the house.

The technology is growing in popularity and helping save people money during cold weather.

"We found that on a sunny day, the heat [from the panel] usually raises the room temperature by about two degrees and holds it until about 4 or 5 p.m.," said Sudbury resident Melanie Hunt.

The panels are sold in Sudbury by a company called 3e Solutions.

"We really liked the potential in this, and how simple it was. It's not very complex, virtually uses no electricity," said Brad Wright, of 3e Solutions. "It creates a lot of heat out and it will last forever, basically."

Wright has sold seven of the systems in Sudbury, and says he will be installing two more in December.

He says business is picking up thanks to tax credits from the federal government for homeowners who invest in green technology.