Like any other energy source, solar power too have its advantages and disadvantages. After reading this article you will soon see that there are far more advantages of solar power than disadvantages yet, we will  try to cover the disadvantages of using solar energy to generate.

Advantages of solar energy.

Solar energy can be used and is used for electricity, central heating, hot water, cooking, for producing salt and even for desalination. There is virtually an unlimited supply of solar energy for us to use and it is renewable.

Solar energy is clean.

  1. To produce electricity or heat with solar energy you only need the sun rays. There is no need to use fossil fuel in combination with sun rays to produce electricity or heat.
  2. Solar energy does not require any fuel.
  3. It’s not affected by the supply and demand of fuel and is therefore not subjected to the ever-increasing price of gasoline.
  4. A solar electric system installed in a home could potentially eliminate 18 tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the environment each year.
  5. Using solar energy is a silent process. No noise pollution.
  6. It does not pollute our air by releasing carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulphur dioxide or mercury into the atmosphere like many traditional forms of electrical generation does.
  7. Therefore Solar Energy does not contribute to global warming, acid rain or smog.

Solar energy is cheaper than electric heating.

  1. After the initial investment has been recovered, the energy from the sun is practically FREE.
  2. The recovery/ payback period for this investment can be very short depending on how much electricity your household uses.
  3. By just using solar energy you can save a lot of money on heaters. In return you will get lower electric bills and it also means that you don’t have to maintain heaters.

Remote area living

  1. If you live in a remote area where there are no power-lines solar energy can be the solution. Solar energy is a great alternative because it provides you with anything from heating water, electricity, and even cooking.
  2. A Solar Energy system can operate entirely independently, not requiring a connection to a power or gas grid at all. Systems can therefore be installed in remote locations (like holiday log cabins), making it more practical and cost-effective than the supply of utility electricity to a new site.
  3. Solar Energy supports local job and wealth creation, fuelling local economies.

Another great use of solar energy is for desalination in areas where fresh, drinkable water is scarce. Solar energy evaporates brine and leaves the salt crystals in the bottom of the basin. The water in turn condenses back in another basin where it is now drinkable.

Contact Us to know more Advantages of Solar Power.

Solar Energy Disadvantages

  • Potentially large areas of land are required for large-scale commercial solar energy projects. A self sufficient home system doesn’t have this concern.
  • The initial cost is the main disadvantage of installing a solar energy system, largely because of the high cost of the semi-conducting materials used in building one.  As the price of solar panels decreases, we are likely to see an increase in the use of solar cells to generate electricity..
  • If you live in a region where sunshine is limited it may be difficult to produce a constant supply of solar energy. This problem can be eliminated by installing a intertie system
  • Pollution can be a disadvantage to solar panels, as pollution can degrade the efficiency of photovoltaic cells. Clouds also provide the same effect, as they can reduce the energy of the suns rays.
  • The efficiency of the system also relies on the location of the sun, although this problem can be overcome with the installation of certain components.
  • Similarly, no solar energy will be produced during nighttime although a battery backup system and/or net metering will solve this problem.