Solar Energy Advantages and Disadvantages - John O Toole
Solar energy advantages and disadvantages are something that you as a homeowner need to consider when thinking about home solar power systems. In this article I set out some of most common advantages and disadvantages of solar energy.
Harnessing the energy of the sun to decrease our dependence on fossil fuels is an excellent concept. However, like most things, there are advantages and disadvantages of solar energy.
Advantages
• Solar energy is free of cost. Once you have installed the panels and other equipment, you will be able to use and store energy without worrying about paying any bills.
• Experts argue that we are quickly exhausting are sources of energy (gas, oil and coal). There are is no such danger when it comes to solar energy.
• It does not affect the environment. Other sources of energy such as coal and petroleum produce green house gases that contribute in raising the temperature of the earth.
• Maintaining a solar energy system is cheap. There are little or no maintenance costs. Once installed they start working without consuming any fuel or creating any noise.
• Solar energy systems do not depend on the power grid in any way. For this reason, these systems can also be used in remote areas without any problem.
• With the help of the right data, you can almost always predict the amount of power that will be generated by a solar energy system.
• The government gives incentives to help you purchase your system and tax cuts while you use it.
Disadvantages
• The initial cost of setting up the system is quite high. Work in the field of solar technology has resulted in the setup costs coming down, but it’s still not as cheap as other technologies.
• The efficiency of the solar panels depends on the amount of sunlight that they receive. Therefore, where you live has a role in how much power you can generate with the panels.
• You will need batteries to store the energy for use at night or other times when there is no sunlight. These batteries add to the cost of the system.
Clearly you need to do some basic research to decide if solar energy is for you..but it would be an unusual set of circumstances where you could not utilize solar energy and see huge reductions in the running cost of your house and do the environment a favor.
Harnessing the energy of the sun to decrease our dependence on fossil fuels is an excellent concept. However, like most things, there are advantages and disadvantages of solar energy.
Advantages
• Solar energy is free of cost. Once you have installed the panels and other equipment, you will be able to use and store energy without worrying about paying any bills.
• Experts argue that we are quickly exhausting are sources of energy (gas, oil and coal). There are is no such danger when it comes to solar energy.
• It does not affect the environment. Other sources of energy such as coal and petroleum produce green house gases that contribute in raising the temperature of the earth.
• Maintaining a solar energy system is cheap. There are little or no maintenance costs. Once installed they start working without consuming any fuel or creating any noise.
• Solar energy systems do not depend on the power grid in any way. For this reason, these systems can also be used in remote areas without any problem.
• With the help of the right data, you can almost always predict the amount of power that will be generated by a solar energy system.
• The government gives incentives to help you purchase your system and tax cuts while you use it.
Disadvantages
• The initial cost of setting up the system is quite high. Work in the field of solar technology has resulted in the setup costs coming down, but it’s still not as cheap as other technologies.
• The efficiency of the solar panels depends on the amount of sunlight that they receive. Therefore, where you live has a role in how much power you can generate with the panels.
• You will need batteries to store the energy for use at night or other times when there is no sunlight. These batteries add to the cost of the system.
Clearly you need to do some basic research to decide if solar energy is for you..but it would be an unusual set of circumstances where you could not utilize solar energy and see huge reductions in the running cost of your house and do the environment a favor.
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