Is the Solar Energy right way forward? Pros and Cons of Solar Energy
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Climate change has become a massive problem and is a severe threat to the whole existence of the planet. The current climatic trends indicate that humans Earth is suffering from terrible environmental stress caused by human activities. Unexpected weather changes, floods, wildfires, rising sea levels, melting glaciers and increasing temperatures are all indicative of the climate change which our planet is going through.
The reason behind the catastrophic change in the climate is due to human activities, mostly related to energy production and industrial activities. These activities use fossil fuels to produce the energy required to carry out the jobs and produce energy to run industries and economies around the globe.
When fossil fuels burn to produce energy, it produces waste products that are a major cause of pollution and climate change. The most common bi-products are greenhouse gases that cause air pollution and trap incoming solar radiation, hence causing a temperature rise. The second is the waste heat adding to the entropy of the earth's climate.
However, scientists around the globe are very vocal about the impact of global warming and climate change. The world is now shifting away from fossil fuels towards greener alternatives with a low carbon footprint. The shift towards hydroelectric, solar and wind energy is now the utmost priority of almost every country.
Amongst all the green alternatives, solar energy has gained the most popularity. Why? Because it is a technology that is easily accessible by the common public and can be acquired privately by individuals. On the other hand, hydro and wind energy projects are very expensive and are mostly regulated by governments or large energy corporations.
Solar energy is based on utilizing sunlight to drive electrons present in the semiconductor cells. Once these electrons move through a large array of cells, a potential difference is generated, and hence energy is converted into electricity. Although solar panels can run during fuzzy daylight, they are at their best productivity during sunny days.
So, if you are planning on installing photovoltaic or solar cells at your home or office, they are a greener solution. You would love to consider these pros and cons of solar energy and decide if solar energy is the right way forward for your home or office.
Pros of Solar Energy
Amongst the multitude of benefits offered by solar energy and solar panels, the most prominent advantages are as follows;
- Reduction in electricity bills
- No worries about electricity price hikes
- Solar cells are becoming cheaper and easy to replace
- It does not harm the environment, its clean energy
- Freedom from grid dependence
- Great return on investments
Reduction in electricity bills
In the modern era, the prices of electricity and other commodities are rising every passing day. That is one of the major reasons that many homeowners are investing in installing solar panels as they help reduce the electricity bills and, in some instances, make the net billing zero. The latest technologies allow solar energy producers to sell excess energy to electric suppliers. In this way, not only people can save electricity costs but also earn revenue by selling the extra electricity they are producing to the national or local grid.
No worries about electricity price hikes
It is the inherent benefit of installing solar panels that you are free of price hike stress. The electricity prices have risen at a steep rate of $0.2 per year per kilowatt-hour in the US only. The price hikes are becoming even more frequent and steeper lately. The prices will increase even more in the future, and the stress on homeowners and businesses will increase.
Solar panels take this stress away as they protect you from increasing prices of electricity. When you generate energy on your own, you don't have to buy from expensive energy providers.
Solar cells are becoming cheaper and easy to replace
The days are gone when solar panels were extremely expensive, and homeowners used to fear the fragility and reliability of the solar panels. But thanks to the recent technological advances and more companies producing these devices, the prices have come down a lot. Also, the affordability has made it possible to replace the panels at lower costs, and there are lower taxes on the solar panels. Not the only US but governments around the globe are incentivizing the solar panels to reduce the carbon credits of their countries.
It does not harm the environment, its clean energy
Solar panels produce environmentally friendly energy. All they need is bright sunshine to produce energy, and they have zero emissions throughout their lifecycle. No greenhouse emissions mean no climate impact. Hence, a decision to install solar panels to produce green and cheap energy will be a positive reinforcement in efforts to save our ecosystem.
Freedom from grid dependence
As a producer, you will no longer be depending on electricity suppliers or the government. You will enjoy energy independence. Although solar panels require sunlight to work and do no work during the night, you can install battery packs as a backup for the night.
Great return on investments
Solar panels can not only help you save money on your electricity bill, but they can also help you earn money. As previously stated, net metering allows you to make money by selling surplus energy generated by your photovoltaic panels.
Many states in the US offer performance-based incentives such as Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs), which may earn you a considerable amount of money depending on the state/area you are living in.
Solar energy’s disadvantages
- It is an intermittent energy source.
- Has high upfront cost.
- The production of panels has environmental impacts.
- Not suited if you are going to move out from your place.
The manufacturing of solar panels imposes hazardous impacts on the environment.
While the electricity generated by solar panels is pollution-free, there is some pollution involved with the production of solar panels. Sulfur hexafluoride is a more harmful pollutant than carbon dioxide and is used in some solar panel's production.
However, Carbon dioxide's effect is more hazardous than sulfur hexafluoride. Solar panels have a negligible environmental impact compared to the damage caused by extracting and burning fossil fuels.
Solar is an intermittent source of energy
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Three particular reasons cause us to think that solar is an intermittent energy source.
- Solar panels are uncle to generate electricity because the sun doesn't shine at night.
- Sun’s intensity varies depending on the location and of day or year.
- The quantity of energy generated by solar panels can be significantly influenced by cloud, snow, and plant cover.
These arguments have been used to show the unsuitability of solar panels. But it has changed because more cost-effective and efficient batteries are manufactured. Batteries enable households to store solar energy and draw electricity from the battery when their solar panels aren't generating it.
It has a high upfront cost.
The approximate cost of solar in the United States in 2021 will be around $2.85 per watt. So, before the federal tax credit, a 6-kW solar panel system would cost about $17,100 on average. The solar system's cost varies by state.
Fortunately, there are solar financing alternatives. In many situations, you may get a solar loan with no money down, allowing you to save money on your electricity bill while still enjoying the benefits of having a solar system.
Solar panels require vast space.
Solar panels require space to satisfy energy demands. A roof usually has sufficient space for residential installations. When it comes to massive grid-scale solar systems, though, space can be a concern.
It is due to the decreased power density of solar panels. In watts per square meter (W/m2), power density refers to how much power may be extracted from an energy source inside a certain space. Solar panels have a poor power density when compared to fossil sources.
Author Bios:
Grace Griffin is a member of the writer's Team on Research prospect provide dissertation writing services. She has bachelor's in Law, Masters in Literature, and a PhD in Economics. she wanted to explore all the possible subjects in the world. Still, she is afraid that she couldn't do so. Grace is a technical writer and writes research-based content. As for her hobbies, she loves reading articles, blogs, magazines, newspapers and books.
