Imagine a world with sustainable and affordable energy for everyone. The recent surge of the solar power is more than just a trend—it’s the dawn of a new energy era. One might ask, why is solar energy good? How is it sustainable and affordable?
Since the beginning of Humanity, the sun has been a vital source of energy, imparting the major role in the growth of life. In the past, buildings and temples were designed or orienting to capture sunlight and exhausting passive solar heating
With the technological advancements, scientists like Edmond Becquerel and William Grylls Adams discovered the photovoltaic effect, ground the foundation of the solar energy. In the 1950s, first practical solar cell developed and used in the space exploration.
Fast forward to today, demand of Solar energy technology has been sky-rocketed. Solar cells convert the solar energy-heat into electrical energy directly. The efficiency of electricity production increased with efficient photovoltaic systems and innovations like solar thermal energy, concentrated solar power, and solar batteries.
Solar energy is clean and sustainable energy- free of pollutant- making it rich source of energy for electricity generation. Amid severe inflation, where electricity prices have surged dramatically, solar energy has proven economical and saving cost in their electricity’s utility bills for the residential and commercial entities
Advantages of solar energy:
- Energy independence: By installing solar power in homes, offices, and commercial areas, individuals can achieve energy independence.
- Greenhouse gas-free energy production: Solar energy is a renewable energy source that reduces carbon emissions and production of greenhouse gases causing global warming.
- Reduce the electricity bills: Production of electricity using the solar energy reduces your dependency on the utilization of the on-gird electricity. Thereby, cutting utility bills. More, excess of energy could be stored in the batteries and can sell to the utility of states.
Ease of accessibility: Solar energy is more accessible to everyone. Anyone can easily access it by installing solar panels on their rooftop Solar installations don’t demand significant equipment for setup. The installation setup depends on the need of the energy requirement of the area.
Disadvantages of Solar Energy:
- Despite, recent advancement of solar technologies has sky-rocketed its demands. Still, it has some drawbacks and how they compare to benefits:
- High Initial Installation Costs: Initial installation cost for solar panel remain relatively high, though it is declining as the industry expands
- Expensive Energy Storage: Solar energy systems require batteries to store energy especially during bad weather when energy production drops which increases the cost of installation. However, now modern lithium-ion batteries offer greater power at lower costs, and nickel-based batteries have a long lifespan in cost-saving prices.
- Roof Compatibility Issues: Roof compatibility is an issue for solar panels. To obtain maximum energy, roof’s orientation and angle to capture sunlight is crucial. Roofs facing away from the sun or with flat designs may be less efficient.
- Dependence on Sunlight: Solar panels require sunlight to generate electricity, so they are ineffective at night and less efficient during storms or cloudy days. To fully rely on solar energy, a battery system is essential. Unlike solar panels, Batteries wear out and need careful maintenance.
In conclusion, solar energy is an economical, clean and sustainable energy choice that promotes energy impendence and environment friendliness. It serves useful for both domestic and industrial purpose.
