Solar Energy & The Pros And Cons

Solar Energy & The Pros And Cons

Posted by Larry Wood on April 26th, 2010

Perhaps the greatest argument that could be leveled about having to use fossil and nuclear fuel is our dependence on it. Singly nothing much could be done about Global Warming as it will get serious political will if it is to be attended to effectively and for now, other countries are not cooperating. But the choice between traditional and alternative sources of energy, that is something most of us can consider to do.

First the advantages:

Solar energy is abundant and is free. We can rely the sun to rise tomorrow and the day after that. Oil and natural gases on the other hand are non renewable, once the source taps out, it is gone forever. Sure you can find other areas that could still be tapped but sooner that could running out of oil as well.

Solar energy does not pollute the air. If ever, the heat originating from the sun cleans the environment and maintains the earth’s eco balance. Not so with the oil. Oil, its derivatives and its byproducts are great pollutants. In fact, 22,000 pounds of carbon monoxide will need to be produced first for the oil to be prepared and supply a home with electrical energy for a year.

Solar energy harnessing panels are silent operators. Except maybe for the mechanical contraptions that are built into the panels so it could track the sun, from the collection of the suns rays to its photovoltaic conversion, they give neither a peep nor a squeak. It is a world of difference from the cacophony of giant drills and pumps that are used to extract oil form the ground.

Maintenance for the solar panels is very minimal. Except for the mechanical parts that are optional, nearly no maintenance is needed. Once it is set up nothing much will be the cause for worry. The energy that is derived is free. With oil there is no telling what the next pump price would be and when. Oil, being a commodity, heavily depend its prices on market forces. Often with the right strategies, even market forces could be manipulated that could cause volatility in pricing.

The Disadvantages of Solar Energy

The cost. While solar energy is free, the cost of installation setbacks many household from installing it. Brand new solar energy generating systems are pricey. Although it tends to pay off overtime, initial cash out could range into several thousands of dollars depending on the quality and volume of generated power a household or an establishment would require. While solar energy technology has been around since the 1950′s it is only in recent years that its development was spurred. While costs of installation could also be subjective based on the purchasing capacity of a customer, the benefits that could be derived out of it is enormous although mostly in unquantifiable terms.

For mass consumption, distribution lines are necessary and this remains to be a big issue. Old antiquated distribution lines used to transfer electricity and other modes of fuel into the homes are clogged in many regions that to deliver solar energy power into the houses of consumers will require a different approach.

Be that as it may, the benefits from solar power far outweigh its disadvantages. It is an recommended source of energy that it may soon be the norm in power generation.

Lastly, you got to check out the Energy Saving method that save the earth and my bill too. I didn’t know that I can make my own solar panel that only costs me less than one thousand dollar.