Solar Energy
Advantages of Solar Energy:
- Low Maintenance
- Zero Emissions
- Energy Independence
Unlike other power plants with many moving parts, durable solar arrays require minimal maintenance or upkeep. Cleaning photovoltaic panels can be as easy as spraying them with water and wiping down the surfaces. Once clean and free of debris, solar panels can continue working as the manufacturer guarantees.
Solar farms generate electricity with none of the greenhouse gases and other harmful emissions from traditional power plants. Studies show that an acre of solar panels can offset more carbon emissions yearly than an acre planted with carbon-sequestering trees." Thirty-nine percent of the people living near coal-fired power plants are people of color, so what’s absolutely true is that there are a disproportionate number of people of color living next to these plants. Seventy-eight percent of African Americans live within 30 miles of a coal-fired power plant. We also discovered that Latino communities, as well as indigenous communities and low-income communities, are more likely to live next to coal-fired plants.(Toomey, 2013) Solar pv has more climate justice.
Since the sun shines across the globe, it makes every country a potential energy producer, thus allowing for greater energy independence and security. Solar energy doesn’t only promise to bring security and independence at the national level; solar panels can be installed on individual homes, providing power that does not depend on being connected to a larger electrical grid.
Disadvantages of Solar Energy:
- Sunlight Dependent
- initial costs
- Requires large land areas
Without sunlight, a system reliant on solar energy cannot produce power. This can pose a problem for consumers in areas with less-than-ideal levels of sun exposure or poor weather. Solar batteries to store excess energy can help mitigate this issue and even under constant-clouds the best solar panels will still remain cost and energy efficient enough to be worth the installation.
Despite recent advances in cost reductions for utility-scale projects they remain higher than more traditional forms including nuclear and fossil fuel-powered generators, especially at locations requiring extra transmission infrastructure investments made by local governments which add additional expenses onto customers’ bills over time. This means that utilities need long-term commitment contracts with customers before developing new sites potentially reducing returns on investments and leading some investors away from this type of technology due to its hefty upfront costs alone; however attractive incentives offered by governments could solve this problem alleviating investors’ concerns enabling further expansion possibilities across regions worldwide.
Land use is a hot topic in solar energy due to the massive land typically required to build solar farms. Ground-mounted solar needs large lands to be productive enough to generate electricity on an enormous scale. Building solar farms can eat up hundreds of acres of sprawling land for solar panel and battery installation and the infrastructure needed to support it. For illustration purposes, a five-megawatt farm requires 25 acres or more to be fully productive.
