When we talk about generating free electricity at home, the first thing that comes to mind is the sun. That’s right, solar energy may very well be the most cost-effective and reliable method of generating free energy. It’s clean, green, completely renewable, and easily available.Once installed, it can reduce your electricity bills by up to 90%.
Moreover, solar panels are easy to install, require minimum maintenance, and can last for a lifetime.All of these benefits and more come at a price though. Apart from the high initial cost, solar panels are manufactured using rare earth metals that are hard to obtain and emit a lot of greenhouse gases in the process.
As such, it does make a fair share of contribution in polluting the environment although not as much as the burning of fossil fuels.
There are plenty of other benefits as well as challenges associated with using solar energy which we shall get familiar with in this post.
Without further ado, let us go through both the pros and cons of solar energy one by one.
Pros of solar energy
1. A renewable source of energy
Sun is probably the richest source of energy among all the available renewable options. The best part- it is accessible to everyone in every part of the world every day. As a result, the adoption of solar energy is at an all-time high beating wind for the first time in history.
2. An independent source of energy
Apart from being a renewable resource, solar power is also independent of the electrical grid of your area. Moreover, by using solar battery systems, you can convert your solar systems into an entire emergency backup during power outages and non-daylight hours.
3. Reduced electricity bills
Since most of the electricity that you may need can come from your solar panels, you would not need to rely on traditional grid electricity which is too expensive given the current demand.
Therefore, utilising more solar energy during the day is a great way of minimising your electricity dues.
4. Low-maintenance costs
Once installed, solar panels usually require minimum to zero maintenance. A simple cleaning once in a while will keep them in a tip-top shape and condition for long.
The only part that may have to be changed after 5-10 years is the inverter which works non-stop to convert the sunlight into heat or electricity.
5. Diverse applications
Solar energy can be used in various ways to meet the demands of diverse operations. For instance, electricity using photovoltaics, and heat using solar thermal.
Some other applications include:
- Water distillation.
- Solar water heating.
- Solar-powered vehicles (satellites).
- Solar-ventilation.
6. Less carbon emission
Compared to fossil fuels and other energy sources, the production of solar energy does not cause any carbon emissions or harmful greenhouse gases. Except for what is released during the mining and manufacturing of solar systems.
Plus they do not need any water to generate electricity as compared to power plants.
7. Silent operation
Solar panels are completely silent as opposed to emergency generators. Thus causes no noise pollution whatsoever.
8. Longer lifespan of up to 30 years
Most solar panels come with a warranty of at least 20-25 years and do not need a lot of maintenance or repair. The only parts you may have to take care of a little are the inverter and the cables.
9. Increased home value
A property supplemented with a solar setup is guaranteed a higher resale value than the ones that don’t have a solar system.
As an estimate, it can increase the overall value of your house by up to $15,000 or more.
10. ROI through Solar Renewable Energy Credits (SRECs)
Installing and using a solar energy system at your home can get you a significant return on your initial investment. Many states in the US and other parts of the world offer solar renewable energy certificates (SREC) which can be sold off to electricity suppliers for additional bucks.
11. Solar technology is advancing
With continuous research and development in solar technologies, solar systems are expected to become more efficient and affordable thus cutting the cost and environmental impact exponentially.
Also Read: The Growth of Rooftop Solar
Cons of solar energy
1. High initial cost
Perhaps the biggest barrier to the adoption of solar panels is the upfront cost one has to pay during the installation which can be around $18,000 for the whole system. Specifically, the panels, batteries, wires, and other components.
However once installed, there are little to no maintenance costs associated.
2. Higher space-consumption
Another drawback of installing a solar system at your home could be the amount of space that it may require. Remember, the more energy you plan to harness, the more the number of panels you would need which would take up a lot of physical space.
3. Expensive Storage
Energy storage is one of the major hurdles with solar energy as it must be stored in large batteries when not used. These batteries which get charged during the day and uses stored energy to work during the night are rather expensive costing, about USD$5,000.
4. Environmental hazards
Albeit there are no harmful emissions during the utilisation of solar panels, their manufacturing and the mining of the materials required do create a lot of greenhouse gases. However, they are also known to make up for that impact within 1-4 years of use.
5. Sunlight dependency
Another challenge in making the most out of available sunlight comes in the form of bad climate or weather conditions. Poor levels of sunlight or clouds hindering the sun’s rays from hitting the solar panels can compromise the overall production of solar energy.
6. Roof limitations
Lack of roof space and roofing materials can also keep your solar panels from making a substantial amount of energy.
To make the most out of it, make sure that your roof is angled in such a way that it faces the sun directly for the majority of the day. Using asphalt shingles, metalware, and tiles in roof work is yet another way of installing solar panels easily.
7. Fixed location
Speaking of installation, solar panels are not something you can take along every time you move houses. It is time-consuming and way too expensive.
So fixing a solar system is more like a permanent addition to your property.
8. Scarcity of raw materials
One thing that is not in abundance when we talk about using sunlight to generate power is the materials required to manufacture solar equipment.
Moreover, the mining of these materials is a hazardous task that does involve adverse impacts on the environment.
9. Limited disposal or recyclability
Disposing or recycling the materials and substances that are used in making solar technologies is yet another challenge for the solar energy sector.
Since the options are limited, there is an urgent need to come up with proper disposal techniques.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are certain disadvantages to using solar energy but not as significant as their advantages.
In fact, with advancements in technology, many of these challenges are expected to be sorted out soon allowing more people to benefit from the adoption of solar energy.
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