Solar Power and Climate Change
The energy of sun gives us a chance for sustainable and green living. Already today millions use it to generate clean energy and supply their needs without harming the environment. Solar panels give off no contamination nor they pollute air, water or ground with toxic wastes. Additionally, scientist believe that when we prefer solar electricity over fossil fuels, we help to prevent global warming.
Clearly, the impact of photovoltaics is positive and whenever some company or even a small household goes solar they contribute to our future. Considering the demand for cheap energy resources, sooner or later humanity will get short on natural gas, petroleum and coal. On the other hand, nuclear electric power will always pose a threat to our safety and well-being.
Solar choice
No wonder more and more people decide to take on solar technologies and make a step forward to a green living. Some of them want to cut their electricity bills. Today it is anything but cheap and a lot of families have to either use less energy or pay extra each month.
Another group of purchasers of solar equipment see it as a perfect solution to their location problems. Living in a remote area can be tough energy-wise since your house is often located far from all major power lines. In this case installation of photovoltaic panels is a wise decision. And, as a nice bonus, you will not have to depend on utility services ever again. FYI, you can even check solar cars that pretty soon will be just another usual thing for us.
Additionally, scientists claim that in summer solar cells reduce the amount of energy you need for air conditioning. At the same time, you will need a little more energy to heat up this very room in winter. This impact may seem insignificant, however, it should be accounted that the majority of panels are installed in the urban area there the average temperature is often higher.
All this and simple satisfaction from producing your own energy encourages people to purchase and install solar PV systems. Anyone would say that it is a smart investment since solar panels can work for more than 20 years and supply you with green and renewable energy. But is it really Eco-friendly? Let’s investigate the impact of solar power on climate change.
Climate change issue
Certainly, PV solar panels have a great number of benefits but do they have any negative influence globally or locally? There are a few points of view. Critics believe that to produce enough solar power a lot of valuable resources must be used. Their two major concerns are that: solar equipment installation requires too much free space and hazardous materials are often used to create solar cells.
Land use
To supply a whole city with solar energy much territory must be used. Requirements for the area vary depending on the technology, geographical characteristics and intensity of the sunshine. It is a fact, however, there is nothing devastating about the use of land. If everything done properly there will be no habitat loss.
For instance, it is possible to utilize desert regions for mass PV panel installation and minimize land impact. As for residential use, this is not even an issue since you can place your solar panels on the surface of your roof. Enter your zip code on home page of this solar panel distributor to learn more.
Dangerous materials
Another problem people usually bring up is about dangerous materials. The photovoltaic cell production includes some hazardous materials such as acetone sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrogen fluoride and nitric acid. The amount of these chemicals used to produce different solar panels tend to vary depending on the quality, price and supplier. Nonetheless, all solar manufactures must follow strict rules of solar production to ensure safety of workers.
However, if handled and disposed properly, these materials do not threaten either employers of a solar company or end user. The majority of manufacturers keep their standards high and prevent both health risks and environmental threats. Additionally, materials used for solar production are often rare and costly, so, any company naturally would rather recycle these chemicals instead of throwing them away.
The bottom line
It is essential to decrease the heat in the cities and avoid undesirable climate change. Installation of photovoltaic systems can benefit us both globally and locally. While solar cells supply humanity with renewable electricity, prevent greenhouse effect and provide a great alternative to fossil fuels, they can also help control heat level that threatens our planet.
Now you can also go solar!