Advantages of Solar Energy

Let us start this article with the surprising fact that the sun’s energy to earth for an hour can help meet the global energy requirements. To make the best use of the powerful source of energy being the sun, we could install solar panels and make a significant difference in saving energy.

Though initially there has been a lot of criticisms that solar energy is proving to be costly and inefficient, with the advent of several companies coming forward to help harness the power, things are improving.

In this article, let us explore how solar energy could benefit you and society.

Types Of Solar Energy

There are three types of solar energy.

Photovoltaic Solar Energy used for producing electricity
Solar Thermal Energy used for heating water
Passive Solar Energy takes direct advantage of the sunlight.

Solar energy gives us a lot of advantages, and let us discuss each of them in detail.

Renewable Source of Energy

A renewable source of energy is one where the energy is available in abundance and does not get depleted upon continuous usage. Solar energy is undoubtedly the best source of renewable energy.

Solar panels help us harness the energy available all day round the year until the earth exists. There is no slightest trace that we would run out of solar energy.

We can have access to solar energy if we have sun. According to scientists, the sun will exist for at least 5 billion years.

Reduces Electricity Bills

With the solar panels installed, you will use solar energy for most appliances. Thereby, you could save a few pounds on your electricity bills. How much you are going to keep depends on the size of your building, the size of the solar system, and the utilization rate.

Suppose you are using the solar system for commercial purposes. In that case, solar energy could benefit you in huge as larger solar panels can cover a more significant portion of your energy consumption.

Apart from reduced electricity bills, you could also benefit from your payments to transfer the surplus solar energy to the utility centers. You can agree with the utility centers and choose the grid storage for storing the solar energy.

Whatever excess electricity is stored in the grid after the utilization can be transferred back to the utilities. The best part is if you get paid for the transfer.

Diverse Applications

Did you know that solar energy has diverse applications? Yes. We can use solar power to generate electricity and heat.

The electricity generated shall be used for,

Electricity in areas where there are no grids
Distill waters in regions with improper clean water supplies
To power satellites in space
It can be integrated with the building materials.

Low Maintenance costs

The best part of a solar energy system is its relatively low maintenance cost. It would be best to clean them a couple of times a year. But, that can be entrusted to a professional expert team who charges 25 – 35 pounds.

Many of the manufacturers also offer 20 to 25 years of warranty.

The parts of the solar panels are immovable, so there are no chances for wear and tear. The only part that might need to be changed every 5 to 10 years is the inverter. The inverter is the equipment that runs continuously to convert solar energy into electricity.

The cables might also be required to be replaced to make sure they maintain the efficiency of the solar panel.

After incurring the upfront cost, you might incur a minimal amount to maintain the solar energy system.

Technological Development

Technology keeps rising to heights day by day. Especially in solar energy, the technology is constantly improving and becoming advanced. The future will be intense with the innovation in quantum physics and nanotechnology. They can potentially increase and double the efficiency of the electrical input of the solar energy systems.

Other Advantages

There are several more advantages that solar panels could offer.

It is pollution-free, and zero greenhouse gases are emitted.
The dependence on fossil fuels and foreign oils is considerably reduced.
Even cloudy days can produce some power.
It has given new job opportunities for the solar panel manufacturers, installers, etc.; this, in turn, helps the economy.
Grid-free life if the power generated is adequate for consumption.
The solar panels can be installed anywhere according to our needs and structural design.
Batteries can be used to store excess power at night.
They can heat water, power buildings, and even cars.
Considerably safer than conventional electric power.’
Solar panels are becoming more versatile and more efficient with technological innovation day by day.
Tax incentives, rebate programs, and federal grants are available to cover the initial costs.
It increases the value of the property.
It can be used on under-utilized land.

Take Away

Every coin has a flip side, so does every human creation. Solar panels also have several drawbacks, including

Requires a considerable space for installation
Huge upfront investments
The energy produced depends on the weather, and the energy produced is not as high as a typical day during cloudy days. During the night, no power is made.
Solar energy requires ample battery storage, which is a bit expensive.
Devices that run on DC power are more expensive.

Though the flip side of the coin has a few disadvantages, the advantages offered on the off-side outweigh them.

There is an abundance of solar power that hits our earth every day. Can you imagine that this solar power is significant enough to enable livelihood on land? If that is going to be the case, would you want to waste or harness the energy?

Let us join together in harnessing the energy and putting it to use. With developing technology, the solar industry would surely go upwards in a couple of years. Let us wait and watch what more innovations and price changes will come in the future. Let us save energy and earth.