How Solar Energy is Changing the World
Energy1. Renewable Energy Source
Among all the benefits of solar panels, the most important thing is that solar energy is a truly renewable energy source. It can be harnessed in all areas of the world and is available every day. We cannot run out of solar energy, unlike some of the other sources of energy. Solar energy will be accessible as long as we have the sun, therefore sunlight will be available to us for at least 5 billion years when according to scientists the sun is going to die.
2. Reduces Electricity Bills
Since you will be meeting some of your energy needs with the electricity your solar system has generated, your energy bills will drop. How much you save on your bill will be dependent on the size of the solar system and your electricity or heat usage. Moreover, not only will you be saving on the electricity bill, there is also a possibility to receive payments for the surplus energy that you export back to the grid. If you generate more electricity than you use (considering that your solar panel system is connected to the grid).
3. Diverse Applications
Solar energy can be used for diverse purposes. You can generate electricity (photovoltaics) or heat (solar thermal). Solar energy can be used to produce electricity in areas without access to the energy grid, to distill water in regions with limited clean water supplies and to power satellites in space. Solar energy can also be integrated into the materials used for buildings. Not long ago Sharp introduced transparent solar energy windows.
4. Low Maintenance Costs
Solar energy systems generally don’t require a lot of maintenance. You only need to keep them relatively clean, so cleaning them a couple of times per year will do the job. If in doubt, you can always rely on specialised cleaning companies, which offer this service from around £25-£35. Most reliable solar panel manufacturers offer 20-25 years warranty. Also, as there are no moving parts, there is no wear and tear. The inverter is usually the only part that needs to be changed after 5-10 years because it is continuously working to convert solar energy into electricity and heat (solar PV vs. solar thermal). Apart from the inverter, the cables also need maintenance to ensure your solar power system runs at maximum efficiency. So, after covering the initial cost of the solar system, you can expect very little spending on maintenance and repair work.
5. Technology Development
Technology in the solar power industry is constantly advancing and improvements will intensify in the future. Innovations in quantum physics and nanotechnology can potentially increase the effectiveness of solar panels and double, or even triple, the electrical input of the solar power systems.
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Disadvantages of Solar Energy
1. Cost
The initial cost of purchasing a solar system is fairly high. This includes paying for solar panels, inverter, batteries, wiring, and for the installation. Nevertheless, solar technologies are constantly developing, so it is safe to assume that prices will go down in the future.
2. Weather Dependent
Although solar energy can still be collected during cloudy and rainy days, the efficiency of the solar system drops. Solar panels are dependent on sunlight to effectively gather solar energy. Therefore, a few cloudy, rainy days can have a noticeable effect on the energy system. You should also take into account that solar energy cannot be collected during the night. On the other hand, if you also require your water heating solution to work at night or during wintertime, thermodynamic panels are an alternative to consider.
3. Solar Energy Storage Is Expensive
Solar energy has to be used right away, or it can be stored in large batteries. These batteries, used in off-the-grid solar systems, can be charged during the day so that the energy is used at night. This is a good solution for using solar energy all day long but it is also quite expensive. In most cases, it is smarter to just use solar energy during the day and take energy from the grid during the night (you can only do this if your system is connected to the grid). Luckily your energy demand is usually higher during the day so you can meet most of it with solar energy.
4. Uses a Lot of Space
The more electricity you want to produce, the more solar panels you will need, as you want to collect as much sunlight as possible. Solar PV panels require a lot of space and some roofs are not big enough to fit the number of solar panels that you would like to have. An alternative is to install some of the panels in your yard but they need to have access to sunlight. If you don’t have the space for all the panels that you wanted, you can opt for installing fewer to still satisfy some of your energy needs.
5. Associated with Pollution
Although pollution related to solar energy systems is far less compared to other sources of energy, solar energy can be associated with pollution. Transportation and installation of solar systems have been associated with the emission of greenhouse gases. There are also some toxic materials and hazardous products used during the manufacturing process of solar photovoltaic systems, which can indirectly affect the environment. Nevertheless, solar energy pollutes far less than other alternative energy sources.
Solar Wind Power Technology
Advantages:Solar power is pollution free and causes no greenhouse gases to be emitted after installation
Reduced dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels
Renewable clean power that is available every day of the year, even cloudy days produce some power
Return on investment unlike paying for utility bills
Virtually no maintenance as solar panels last over 30 years
Creates jobs by employing solar panel manufacturers, solar installers, etc. and in turn helps the economy
Excess power can be sold back to the power company if grid intertied
Ability to live grid free if all power generated provides enough for the home / building
Can be installed virtually anywhere; in a field to on a building
Use batteries to store extra power for use at night
Solar can be used to heat water, power homes and building, even power cars
Safer than traditional electric current
Efficiency is always improving so the same size solar that is available today will become more efficient tomorrow
Aesthetics are improving making the solar more versatile compared to older models; i.e. printing, flexible, solar shingles, etc.
Federal grants, tax incentives, and rebate programs are available to help with initial costs
No trenching is needed since the solar can be close to or at the place of installation
Disadvantages:
High initial costs for material and installation and long ROI (however, with the reduction in cost of solar over the last 10 years, solar is becoming more cost feasible every day)
Needs lots of space as efficiency is not 100% yet
No solar power at night so there is a need for a large battery bank
Some people think they are ugly (I am definitely not one of those!)
Devices that run on DC power directly are more expensive
Depending on geographical location the size of the solar panels vary for the same power generation
Cloudy days do not produce as much energy
Solar panels are not being massed produced due to lack of material and technology to lower the cost enough to be more affordable (this is starting to change)
Solar powered cars do not have the same speeds and power as typical gas powered cars (this too is starting to change)
Lower solar production in the winter months
There is more solar power that hits the earth every day then the current population can use in a year. Let’s keep working to harness this great power and put it to good use. With efficiencies evolving, pricing being reduced every day, and new technologies being experimented with, it will be interesting to see where we are in the solar industry in the next couple years. What do you think the future will look like?
