Solar Energy Pros and Cons

Solar energy is the energy from the sun. Solar panels use sunlight to produce electricity. These panels are normally mounted on the roof and angled to face the sun. Countries all around the world are using solar energy to reduce their dependance on fossil fuels and making it as a sizable share of their energy supply. Solar panels are used in large numbers by resident owners to reduce their monthly electricity bills that will lessen the need of electricity from utility companies and also result in extra savings.

Solar energy has become an incredibly important part of the world that we live in. That being said, there are a lot of things that we need to consider if we are going to include solar energy as part of our green living plan. In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at solar energy and its pros and cons so that you can make an informed decision about whether or not this is the right choice for you and your family to consider when switching your energy resources.

Pros of Solar Energy

1. Clean Energy Source: Solar panels give off no contamination; the main contamination that occurs as a consequence of solar panels is the assembling of these gadgets in industrial facilities, the transportation of the merchandise, and the installation. That means, once they’re actually installed on your home, they are doing absolutely nothing negative to the atmosphere; this is a huge difference than what you see from other forms of standard energy.

2. Renewable and Sustainable: Solar energy is a renewable source of energy which means we can not run out of it. Unlike fossil fuels, that will expire in another few decades, solar energy is never going to expire. We will continue to get solar energy as long as sun is there.

Another pro of solar energy is that it is sustainable. Sustainable simply means to be able to meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future generations. Sun is going to last for another 6.5 billion years, according to NASA and there is no way that we could over consume it.

3. Power Remote Areas: One of the incredible benefits of solar energy is the capability to bridle power in remote areas that are not necessarily connected to a national electrical matrix. A prime example of this is in space, where satellites are controlled by high productivity solar cells. The establishment of solar panels in remote areas is normally substantially more financially savvy than laying the high voltage wires that are necessary to provide these areas with electricity. Solar energy might be extremely productive in an expansive region of the globe, and new innovations take into account a more effective energy generation on cloudy/dull days.

4. Can be Installed on Rooftops: Solar panels might be installed on any number of roofs, which wipes out the issue of trying to find enough space for solar panel arrangement. Not only does it save you space, but it can also end up saving you and your family a lot of money as well. Even though the installation cost of solar panels can be quite high, depending on how large they are and other factors (we will talk more about this in the “cons”), they give a free supply of power, which means that they will eventually pay for themselves in the long run.

5. Reduce Electricity Bills: The utilization of solar energy to create power allows you and your family to be free of the limitations of fossil fuels that could negatively affect the power that your home is able to use on a regular basis. Getting your solar panels financed can help you to eliminate upfront cost that you might have to pay from your own pocket. Moreover, homeowners can sell surplus electricity generated to utility companies to reduce their monthly electricity bill.

6. Availability: Sunlight is available throughout the world and can easily be harnessed by every nation. The only drawback is that it can only be harnessed during daytime. It is estimated that the world’s oil reserves will last for about 50-60 years, whereas sunlight is available forever and can be utilized till the end of this planet.

7. Low Maintenance: Modern solar panels require less maintenance as they don’t involve any moving parts and last for about 20-25 years. They require few meters of space for residential use and require cleaning a few times a year.

8. Silent: The creation of energy from the use of fossil fuels and other renewable energy sources (e.g. wind turbines) might be incredibly noisy, yet solar energy produces power quietly. That way, you won’t have to worry about adding sound pollution to the area that you live in either, which will make it that much more pleasant for your family and those who live around you. They operate silently and are therefore favored by many people.

Cons of Solar Energy

1. Initial Cost: The most significant con of solar energy is how much it costs to install the solar panels on your home. Presently, costs of the best quality solar cells might be above $1000, and a few families may require more than one. This makes the starting cost of solar panels expensive.

2. Produce Power During Day: Solar energy is only capable of producing power during the daytime (when the sun is out). This implies that, for around half of the day, solar panels are not delivering energy for your home. The climate and weather patterns of your area can influence how well your solar panels work as well.

3. Solar Cells Effectiveness: If there is air pollution in your area already, it could cause some problems for you. Pollution levels can influence solar cells’ effectiveness; this would be a significant con for organizations or industries that are looking to introduce solar panels in high pollution zones (high population areas, cities, etc).

4. Large Area for Setup: If you own a business that wants to use solar energy, another issue may come up. You may not be able to fit them on the roof of your building, and you may need to have a large area of land to set your collectors in so that the right amount of power can be produced.

5. Expensive Storage: Solar power is also utilized to charge batteries for the home or business, so that during the evening hours you will still have access to power. These batteries are heavy and large. You’ll need to find somewhere to store them, and you will have to replace them occasionally, which can add to the cost.

Source:conserve-energy-future.com