Advantages and disadvantages of solar energy || Pros and cons of solar energy || Solar energy benefits and loss
Generally, we are using electrical energy in household and business purposes. In household or business purposes, we use electrical energy in TV, Fridge, Air Condition machines, Guiser, electric water pump, fans, lights, etc.
There are more things in the list of devices that use electricity and for that, we have to depend on primary energy sources like coal, oil, natural gas. These are exhausting rapidly due to our high energy demand. Wind power, geothermal energy, solar radiation, are types of renewable energy.
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Why we should use solar energy?
There are many reasons which are pointing towards to use solar energy and make it our primary energy source. Firstly, solar energy is renewable and secondly, it helps us to reduce our utility bills and gives free income too. After all, money is important in our life.
Sun is a powerful source of energy. Sun emits solar rays which contain heat and light energy. Our earth’s surface receives a massive amount of solar energy from the sun every day. Solar energy is an abundant energy source that we can use it for the next 5 billion years.
Do you know the fact about solar energy?
The solar energy received by the earth’s surface in just one hour is completely enough to fulfill the requirement of energy for a year. Approximately we are only able to use 0.001% of the solar energy being received by the earth.
How solar cells convert solar energy into electrical energy?
Our solar technology is continuously growing fast and improving solar panels to harness solar energy into electrical energy more efficiently.
Solar panels are made of solar cells(also known as photovoltaic cells) which are made of silicons(Semiconductor materials). When sun rays strike photovoltaic cells, that makes them electrons let out from atoms. Flowing of electrons through cells processes solar energy into electrical energy.
According to IEA( International Energy Agency), the use of solar energy has been increased as compared to other sources of energy. Our Government is also helping by giving subsidy to make it cheaper and encouraging us to go eco friendly.
Let’s know about :
Advantages of solar energy:
1– Environment friendly, less emission of greenhouse gases and pollution control:
Solar energy is absolutely environment friendly because it does not produce any harmful greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, chlorofloro carbon, nitrous oxide, etc after installation while electricity generation.
Greenhouse gases are majorly responsible for the global warming problem, we should use solar energy to control the emission of greenhouse gases.
It always helps us to control pollution unlike other nonrenewable fuels like coal, crude oil, etc. PV system uses nowadays in photovoltaic solar cells, which converts directly solar energy into electrical energy.
2- Easy to move and install anywhere at low cost:
The requirement of maintenance in solar energy is very low compare to other energy sources. It has the best property that we can move it from one place to another at a very low cost.
Solar panels are very easy to install anywhere in an open place like on the roof of the house, open field, etc.
Solar technologies are improving the capacity of harnessing solar energy into solar electrical energy. We can store the excess energy into energy storage devices like batteries and can use it later.
3- Solar energy as a source of income or return on investment and as new career opportunities:
The government is helping us and popularizing the use of solar energy through solar panels. They provide subsidy in the cost of panels and installation too.
We have options for selling the excess electrical energy to the government by transferring into the electricity grid.
4- Cost-effective and pollutions free(No noise pollution or air pollution):
Solar energy is very cost-effective. It can be harnessed easily than other nonrenewable energy like coal, petroleum, etc. It also saves from pollution arises during refining petroleum, coal, etc.
CO2 increases the temperature of our environment. If we use solar energy, we can help our ecosystem from pollution and reduce co2 level, which is majorly responsible for melting glaciers.
5- Renewable or an endless source of energy:
The best alternative of nonrenewable energy sources.
We can use solar energy as long as we need it. Solar energy is a renewable source of energy, which can solve the problem of limited nonrenewable sources of energy like petroleum, coal, etc.
Sun has enormous energy which is the reason for life and the main source of energy of the earth. It is available free of cost, we only need to improve our technology which can harness more solar energy into electrical energy.
6- Multipurpose uses and scope of harnessing more energy:
Using solar energy is very safe and clean energy. We can use it for many purposes like water heating, cooking with solar cookers, also producing electricity.
Solar cells convert solar energy into electrical energy. Electricity helps rural villages where electricity lines havenโt reached like in mountain areas and others.
7- Main source of energy in the future and energy transformation property:
All country’s need for energy is increasing day to day to grow their industry. We all know fossil fuel energy sources are limited which cannot hold the rate of consumption longer. To solve the problem of scarcity of energy in future solar energy technology is the best option.
8- Good Efficiency and reduce our electricity bills:
Our research and technology about solar systems are advancing day by day and these improvements will intensify the rate of harnessing solar energy in the future.
Presently solar panels are improved and providing effective energy which completes all the requirements in house or buildings.
9- Very low maintenance cost(long time warranty) and safe in use:
Solar devices are very safe to use compared to other sources of energy. It does not require a lot of maintenance. We need to clean it sometimes on a monthly basis.
Good companies provide warranties of more than 20 years, and they guide us to maintain easily.
10- Solar power is scalable.
The main advantage of solar energy is the property of renewable and clean sources of electricity. It can be installed on an industrial scale, or it can be used to electrify a single household too.
When we use it on a small scale, we have choices to store extra electricity in a battery or transfer into the electricity grid.
Disadvantages of solar energy:
1-Production affected on varying seasons:
We all know solar energy comes from the sun in the form of rays containing heat and light. Sun rays touch the surfaces completely depend on the season. Summer season is good for the harness of solar energy but it reduces in winter.
2-The initial cost of installation is high:
The initial cost of purchasing a solar system is really high. These include the cost of solar equipment like solar panels, inverter, batteries, wiring, etc.
Solar system technologies are constantly evolving, due to which we can expect that prices will go down in the future.
3-Requirement of power backup for the night:
At night we cannot harness solar energy because it is night obviously. We need to store the excess power in the day time in batteries to use it at night.
A solar water heater cannot work at night, which we needed most in winter.
4-Work with DC-based devices:
Solar energy works with DC devices. Due to which we have to rely on the DC devices which are cost more than AC devices.
5-Requirement of more space:
We generally harness solar energy through solar panels and it requires exposure of sunlight directly on it. Solar panels are big in sizes and if we need to increase the production of electricity we have to install more solar panels, which results to occupy more space.
If we deploy the solar panels set up in place then that place will be unused long enough for other works until the solar panel exists there.
6-Solar Power device effectiveness:
Solar power devices which harness solar energy is low efficient than other nonrenewable energy resources.
In todayโs era, solar devices are bigger than other energy source devices and it also produces less electricity. Efficiency is being improvised regularly, which results in more efficiency in the future.
7-Solar energy production affected by clouds:
In rainy seasons, most of the time sky is filled with clouds, which affects the production rate of solar panels compare to normal sunny days.
In the rainy season, the production rate of solar panels declines due to clouds and winter seasons.
8-Low energy production rate:
Solar panels and devices are not being produced in a good volume and quality due to the lack of required material, research, and technologies about it.
Due to these reasons, we are still lacking the capacity to harness the energy to a good extent.
9-Depends on geographic location:
Sun rays touch earth surfaces differently based on geographic locations. Time zones differ in different zones.
There are some places where the sun rays reach less due to the geographic reason. Some places have only winter or a less summer season. That affects the use of solar energy.
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