What is the reason Solar Energy is important?
What is the reason Solar Energy is important?
The power of solar energy to tackle a variety of global problems is the primary source for renewable energy. There are numerous reasons for the solar power source to be a prominent factor in the energy industry. Because it’s flexible and provides numerous benefits to both people and our environment, the energy source is increasing in popularity.
What exactly is solar energy?
The sun’s light is what leads to solar energy. The sun powers our planet. It supplies the energy needed to sustain our environment and grow our population, no matter whether you know it. Its solar energy will be enough to meet our entire needs. It is estimated that the US Department of Energy estimates that 173,000 terawatts sun energy hit the earth each second, which is greater than 10,000 times the amount of worldwide energy consumption. The sun can be used to produce electricity that is free clean, renewable, and sustainable. Solar energy can be used to provide heat, light, and other electricity-dependent needs in homes and buildings.
Environmental Protection is essential
As per the U.S. Department of Energy the amount of sunshine the earth receives in an hour is higher than the energy consumed by the entire planet for a year. Bloomberg reports that solar energy was the fastest-growing energy sector in 2015, with a 33% increase. Solar energy promotion is motivated by its environmental advantages.
Solar energy is safe and clean.
The safest option to replace fossil fuels like gas and coal is solar. Solar can be used to generate electricity that produces air pollution, water, and soil. According to the World Wide Fund For Nature (also called the WWF) states that the electricity produced by fossil fuels can create pollution in the air as well as acid rain. It can also cause destruction to forests, and affect agricultural production and result in the reduction of millions of USD globally. In the United States, fracking United States uses thousands of liters of water to extract water. This can also cause earthquakes as well as contamination of water bodies in the vicinity. Environmental disasters that nuclear power has caused have resulted in contamination of the land and water. These harmful and hazardous effects of burning fossil fuels will be eliminated through the use of solar power.
Habitat destruction prevented
To extract essential raw materials, such as nuclear or fossil fuels, precious forests are cut down. For their food, trees constantly extract carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and store it in their forests. This major carbon sink is gone when forests are cleared for the mining of raw materials for conventional energy. Also, it is a major contributor to climate change. According to WWF, eight out of ten animals living on land live in forests. A loss of forest habitats could result in a decline in their numbers. It is essential to convert to solar power in order to protect these habitats for animals that live there and also to keep the air clean.
Climate Change Combated
As per the Environmental Protection Agency, 2017 greenhouse gas emissions were 13 percent less than the levels of 2005. Actually, carbon dioxide emissions from greenhouse gases actually decreased by.5 percent between 2016 and 2017. Global warming and shifting weather patterns are all triggered by greenhouse gas emissions. Temperatures rising and an increase in the number of pests that spread disease can result in severe health problems, especially for older people and children.
The change in weather patterns has led to the increase of floods as well as hurricanes as a result of climate change. The increase the levels of carbon dioxide are acidifying oceans and killing marine life , such as corals. Climate change is leading to the extinction of species from the Sub-Arctic boreal forests as well as tropical Amazon forests. Melting of the polar ice cap leads to a reduction in the habitat for wildlife and an increase in sea levels. People are forced to relocate due to the disappearance of the coastlines. Globally, irregular rainfalls or growing droughts may be detrimental to agriculture and the lifestyles of the less fortunate groups of society.
Because solar power does not produce carbon dioxide emissions, it could limit the impact of climate change. As per Greenpeace myth number 5 (report on myths about energy) solar panels are able to offset the carbon footprint in just four years.
Economic and Social Benefits
As per the Solar Energy Industries Association, the U.S. had an installed capacity of 69.1 gigawatts (GW) sufficient to power more than 13 million homes in the second quarter 2019.
Small and decentralized sources of electricity
The greatest appeal to solar energy lies in its capacity to produce on a smaller scale by the consumer instead of large-scale conventional energy sources managed centrally by large corporations.
Photo-voltaic cells that are mounted in the rooftops of buildings produce heat and electricity from solar energy. As per the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), this is a distributed source of electricity that can be used by households and businesses. As per the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, there are passive solar designs for buildings that heat or cool the space as well as energy-efficient solar heating of the water.
These systems are becoming increasingly popular for power generation at the community levels. Based on the office for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy’s report, 13 states had more than 100 megawatts in power production in 2015. Residential units had 2 gigawatts. Between 2010 to 2015, 100MW of community solar plants were constructed. These are vital to ensure that communities continue to operate at a lower cost.
EIA also states that the large-scale “Solar thermal or electric plant plants create electrical energy by condensing sunlight into heating a fluid, and then producing steam that powers a generator.”
Because solar power is distributed and distributed, it is able to be utilized in remote areas that are disconnected from the grid. This is crucial for farms that operate greenhouses, irrigation, and hay dryers. In the words of the Union of Concerned Scientists, this is what makes agriculture secure.
Energy source that is reliable and affordable.
The price of solar panels have been reduced through advances in technology as well as government subsidies and policies. According to Energy.gov, the price of solar solar systems have decreased by 60% and the cost for solar electricity systems by 50. The solar energy market is more competitive than traditional energy sources.
According to Greenpeace their report, running costs are lower , and your initial expenditure is recouped , leading to savings in energy costs. According to Greenpeace’s myth report (myth 1), solar energy uses sunlight and is cost-free. But fossil fuels need to be extracted and transported over long distances. In accordance with the Greenpeace report, for the United States, the costs of dealing with environmental issues due to the use of “dirty power resources” can be twice or more than the cost of electricity generated from conventional sources such as coal. These extra costs are able to be eliminated or offset by solar power.
Generation of Jobs
Guardian reports that the United States was the fifth-largest solar panel producer in the world in the year 2016. The industry has also generated thousands of jobs. According to Energy.gov Solar employment has increased by 123% over five years. In 2015 there were 29,000 solar-related workers. Most solar installations were performed by small businesses. Next came designers, salespeople, and professionals. The industry was growing at a 12% faster rate than the average American employment market which kept the economy going.
Solar Energy Industry Jobs
64 percent of U.S. electricity was generated by fossil fuels including petroleum, coal, natural gases, and other gases. Around 19% of electricity generated was produced using nuclear energy and 17% from renewable sources. This is unchanged from the year 2015. According to an Solar Foundation report, the solar industry employed 242,000 workers in 2018.
Increase in the Solar Workforce
U.S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER), 2017 U.S. Energy and Employment Report (USEER), workers in the Traditional Energy and Energy Efficiency sector are approximately 6.4 millions Americans. The number of jobs created in 2016 was almost five percent higher than in the previous year, which was 300,000. In 2016, 14% of all new jobs in the U.S. were created by this industry. These industries employ 55% of the energy workers, while around 374,000 employees work either full-time or part-time in the solar industry. About 260,000 workers work full-time in the solar sector. The number of solar workers increased by 25% in 2016.
and Innovation Funding and Innovation Funding
Since 1977 in 1977, the U.S. Department of Energy has been the primary financing agency. In 2006, solar power received funding of 150 million dollars. Research into solar power earned $310 million in 2013, with $65 million added in 2016. The idea was to increase the efficiency of solar panels, design new solar power collectors and storage capacities, and lower the price of electricity production so that it is affordable to all through the [xfield_companycompany.
According to MIT, research is underway to create new photovoltaic devices. This includes cutting down on the quantity of silicon used and exploring different types and designs of solar panels. Other options include bio-based materials and solar panels that are not panel-less, etc.
Another option is to boost the capacity of batteries to store energy so that they can conserve surplus solar energy for future use. This can increase the efficiency of batteries and ensure a constant supply. Combining lithium-ion batteries and software, as well as new “polymer hybrid supercapacitors” will help reduce costs.
Five Reasons to Support Solar Energy
A lot of homeowners and businesses are switching to solar power due to a variety of reasons. There are numerous benefits to solar power, not only for individuals but for everyone on the world. Here are some of the reasons to be supportive of solar power.
1. It’s good for the environment
Solar energy is much more eco-friendly as compared to conventional electrical power. It does not rely on fossil fuels, and it does not pollute the air and water. This makes solar energy a more suitable option for many. Solar energy utilizes the natural resources of the earth, whereas conventional electricity harms or depletes the resources.
2. It’s a reliable and efficient and cost-effective source of energy.
The sun is the renewable energy source. While fossil fuels eventually run out of energy, sunlight won’t. It is therefore extremely reliable. It is also much cheaper than fossil fuels that are costly to extract and then use. To reap the benefits you require a one-time solar equipment installation.
3. It will save you money in the long-term
The cost of installing solar panels and solar electric systems has dropped in recent years, some people still find it daunting to make the investment on solar electricity. The key thing is to keep in mind that installing solar panels is a once-off event. But, the cost of electricity is an ongoing, expensive and frequent expense particularly in light of rising electricity rates. You can save a lot of money by investing in solar energy.
4. Solar Power creates jobs and stimulates economic growth
Did you know it is true that the US solar industry generates more jobs per person than any other industry? According to The Solar Foundation’s most recent National Solar Jobs Census report, solar energy creates seventeen times the number of jobs as does the US general economy. There were 250,000 people employed within the solar energy sector as of 2019.
5. It encourages energy independence
Energy independence is the capacity to not depend on the grid for energy. This leaves you open to price hikes and could cause power outages on Long Island and New York City. It could be a problem in the event that there isn’t a method to supply power to your home. When you have an emergency battery backup system as well as solar PV panels, you will not be being tethered to unstable power grids when you need it most.