Last Updated on November 1, 2023 by admin
Ever wonder why people choose solar energy for their homes and businesses? Of course, the solar financial benefits come first. There are many ways to save with solar including a 30% Extended Tax Credit. Various financing options with no down payment are another motivation.
The environmental benefits are the second most popular reason. Most of the power produced in the United States comes from the expensive and environment damaging burning of fossil fuels like coal and natural gas. In contrast, solar panels generate clean, renewable, and emission-free electricity. This clean power lightens up your home without releasing any carbon dioxide or air pollutants into the atmosphere.
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Important Points To Remember:
- Solar energy has now become a vital source of power because of its environmental impact.
- Photovoltaic (PV) systems are clean, eco-friendly, and sustainable energy sources.
- When electricity generation is by using solar energy and other renewable resources, such as wind and hydropower, there is no carbon dioxide or other local air pollutants released into the atmosphere.
- Going solar not only saves you money but also helps you to contribute towards a clean environment.
- Solar panel systems have some unfavorable environmental effects, but experts in the industry are working hard to find solutions and more environment friendly ways to use and implement new solar technologies.
What is in this Article:
In the U.S. the trend of going solar is also booming. More homeowners are now willing to install solar panels in their homes due to the increasing energy costs. By installing a PV system, they can save thousands of dollars each year. Also, going solar means that the home is not relying on grid power. In case of power outages, solar homes can remain powered up without any interruptions.
Solar energy has now become a vital source of power because of its environmental impact. We can recycle resources of renewable energy to generate power input. Solar power also refers to clean energy because it is environment friendly. Also, it transmits greenhouse gases which are also beneficial for our society in various aspects. The main renewable energy resources include solar, hydropower, biofuel, biomass, etc.
There are many motivations and benefits of choosing solar nowadays for homes. But the main concern that urges people to switch is the environmental impacts of solar energy. Photovoltaic (PV) systems are clean, eco-friendly, and sustainable energy sources. The sun is a tremendous source of generating sustainable clean energy with no pollution or emissions of global warming.
What are the top 5 Impacts of Solar Energy on the Environment?
When electricity generation is by using solar energy and other renewable resources, such as wind and hydropower, there is no carbon dioxide or other local air pollutants released into the atmosphere. In contrast, most of the electricity produced in the U.S. is produced by burning fossil fuels like coal and natural gas.
Also, The world can be powered for a whole year if we could harness all of the sun’s energy shining on the Earth for only one hour. Whereas collecting and using fossil fuels is expensive and bad for the environment.
In this article, we will highlight some environmental impacts of using solar energy resources for power generation. This article will also depict how you can contribute to an eco-friendly environment and resource-saving by installing home solar systems for power generation.
Solar Energy Resources Reduce Air Pollution
Smog, impure air, and other pollutants are harmful to the environment, your health, and your aesthetics. Instead of using fossil fuels to produce electricity, solar energy significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions, particularly CO2. This causes climate change and rising global temperatures, which in turn increase serious environmental and public health problems.
Every year, dangerous and more frequent wildfires give the majority of residents a direct view of the devastation that these greenhouse gases do.
Going solar lowers your carbon footprint while reducing the need for fossil fuels and the number of greenhouse gases that are discharged into the atmosphere.
Solar Energy Resources Reduce Water Usage
If an energy source doesn’t require fossil fuels to generate electricity, it most likely depends on water. Both hydropower and nuclear energy utilize a lot of water to generate electricity, and frequently, a dam is constructed to regulate water flow and energy generation. The problem is that damming water may harm the ecosystem in the area.
However, Solar panels harness the power of the sun to produce energy without using water or harming the environment.
Solar helps to decrease Reliance on Non-Renewable Energy Sources
Going solar is a first step towards having an energy-independent home. Fossil fuels are responsible for many of the pollutants that have a bad influence on our air quality. Instead, solar energy helps lessen our dependency on nonrenewable energy sources.
In addition, the fact that nonrenewable resources will inevitably deplete makes them nonrenewable. For our environment and future generations, the quicker we switch to renewable energy, the better.
The use of Solar Energy Resources lessens the Human Health Issues
Cleaner, healthier lungs result from breathing in cleaner air. According to the US Agency for Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, improved air quality can improve human health. Also, it can result in the saving of more than 25,000 lives.
Utilization of Solar Resources aids in the fight against Climate Change
It becomes more challenging for the environment to clean the air we breathe, as pollutants and CO2 are continually released into the atmosphere at the price of our world. The amount of heat absorbed by our planet will increase along with the amount of carbon that is stored in our atmosphere. As a result, different regions’ climates will continue to be impacted, with some seeing major warming or cooling as well as an increase in sudden and deadly storms and weather patterns.
To help mitigate the harmful consequences of climate change, scientists and climatologists have generally agreed on sustainable energy sources. Solar energy is one of those approaches since it can help lower CO2 emissions and atmospheric pollution.
What are the Environmental Challenges of Solar Energy?
The environmental advantages of solar panels are obvious. Solar energy is the best source to power the future with environmental factors in mind. Thanks to improved health outcomes, slow global warming, decreased pollution, etc due to solar.
However, solar has certain negative environmental effects too. The solar mining and manufacturing processes are the main ecological worries. Fortunately, the solar industry is now taking on these difficulties head-on.
Some of the challenges include:
1-Water Usage
Although, solar panels do not use water when producing power, both the manufacturing and solar recycling procedures do. Moreover, some utility-scale solar power plants do use water throughout the electricity-producing process.
However, Solar thermal plants (CSP) use hybrid and wet-recirculating technology to mitigate this and lower overall water use.
Even better, Researchers are exploring new solar techniques to lessen the quantity of water for new solar panel production.
2- Use of Land
Environmental activists are raising concerns regarding habitat loss and land degradation as the result of the construction of huge solar farms. Solar panel farms often appear to be a “waste” of land because they have considerably less agricultural space than wind facilities, which may coexist with crops.
Since solar can produce electricity anywhere the sun shines, researchers are looking into ways to reduce the impact on the environment by locating solar farms in less popular locations, such as brownfields, dead mining sites, or already-existing transportation and transmission routes. However, some who support solar energy claim that by installing more solar panels on the roofs of homes and businesses, this “waste” of land could be minimized.
3- Chemical Waste
Sand with a high concentration of quartz must be transformed into polysilicon to make solar panels that can absorb light and produce power. Sadly, silicon tetrachloride, a hazardous byproduct of the chemical reaction that forms this polysilicon, is also produced. Silicon tetrachloride can produce toxic fumes and soil acidification if it is not properly disposed of.
Interestingly, by turning silicon tetrachloride back into polysilicon, we can reduce the amount of remaining waste. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) of the U.S. Department of Energy is investigating alternate production techniques that completely avoid silicon tetrachloride, and solar manufacturers in China are legally working to recycle at least 98.5% of the silicon tetrachloride waste they produce.
Is Solar Energy Good for the Environment?
Overall, the use of solar energy for power production has some considerable positive environmental impacts. Choosing solar is the best, sustainable and eco-friendly option to lighten up homes. Going solar not only saves you money but also helps you to contribute towards a clean environment. Selecting solar is as following the change for positive movement towards protecting the earth.
Also, a reduction in fossil fuel emissions can help our world slow down global warming and improve air quality by switching to solar and other renewable sources.
Moreover, many environmental advantages of solar energy use include decreased resource stress and air pollution. Solar panel systems still have some unfavorable environmental effects, but experts in the industry are working hard to find solutions and more environment friendly ways to use and implement new solar technologies.
So, If you’re ready to install solar panels on your home to create a positive environmental impact, talk to Solar SME today. You can get a FREE quote by visiting the SolarSME website. Or, give us a call at 214-556-8288 for consulting with our energy experts about the best solar system options for you.
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