Advantages And Disadvantages Of Solar Energy
There are many advantages and disadvantages of solar energy in 2012. Electric power is getting much more expensive with the increase in the cost of fossil fuel. Most people’s electric bills are increasing by at least 6% per year. By installing solar panels, it is possible in many cases to pay for the system within five or six years. If your electric bill runs $300 per month, once the system is paid off, it earns you $3,600 per year, tax free. In most cases, that is equivalent to earning close to an additional $5,000 a year. That’s like getting a raise.
You can actually get your power meter to run backwards. The extra electricity you create is actually fed back into the grid. If your system is large enough, you can actually sell some energy back to the power provider.
Solar panels can be situated almost anywhere there is direct sunlight available. They can be placed on the roof of a house or in an open unused area, as long as they can come in contact with direct sunlight.
If you offset a majority of your electric usage with solar, you end up paying at a lower tier level. Therefore, what electricity you do use, is at the lowest price.
2012 Advantages Of Solar Energy
· A solar system will actually increase the value of your home.
· Solar energy can be a very efficient source of energy in a very large area of our planet. On overcast days, there can still be production with some of the newer technologies that are in existence.
· It is very costly to lay new high voltage lines across new territory, where solar panels can be placed in any remote location at a fraction of the cost.
· There is no pollution put into the atmosphere from solar panels. There is some initial pollution in the manufacturing process and in transporting the products to their end use.
· Although the initial investment on solar is fairly high, there is very little upkeep expense.
· Another great pro for solar energy is the ability to gather from the largest energy source available, the sun from the most remote areas of the planet, many of which are not even linked to a national grid system. Even in space, solar panels can be utilized to gather energy to power spacecraft.
· Solar can be installed on top of residential roofs or above parking structures, eliminating the problem of finding the required space for solar panels.
· The warranty on most solar panels is 20 years or more. The solar inverters are typically guaranteed for at least 10 years.
· Solar reduces the use of fossil fuel and our dependency on it. Solar is truly a green source of energy.
· There is no noise pollution generated during solar production. It is the quietest way to produce energy. The use of fossil and even other renewable fuels, such as wind and hydro production can be very noisy.
· There are government incentives available, which offset up to 50% of the initial cost of installing solar. The Federal Government gives tax credits, and several states offer rebates, depending on how productive a solar system is.
Disadvantages of Solar Energy:
· The biggest con of solar power is the cost of solar panels. The initial cost, or start-up expense, is pretty high.
· Solar can only be produced during daylight hours. Therefore, for 50% or more of the time, your system isn’t producing any power.
· Cloudiness or anything that blocks the sun from hitting the solar cells can affect the efficiency of the system.
· Pollution can also be a con to solar energy. The more pollution or dust that gets on a solar panel, the less productive it will be. Solar panels need to be cleaned off periodically to keep a system at its maximum efficiency.
· Some areas of the planet aren’t as conducive to sunny weather. The more rainy an area is, the less solar production you can have.
Solar Energy Advantages And Disadvantages
You can clearly see that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages of owning a solar energy system. The biggest drawback to buying a solar power system is cost, although the government has some substantial incentives for you to get your own system. These incentives vary from state to state. If you live in a sunny state, such as California or Florida, you are a good candidate for solar power energy. There are a lot of other areas that would also be good areas for solar.
Questions that should have been answered in this material:
How is solar energy generated?
Are solar panels expensive?
Where can solar energy be produced?
How is solar energy converted to electrical energy?
Do solar panels increase the value of my home?
Will a power meter actually run backwards with solar systems?
Are there tax incentives for those who want to install a solar electric system?
Will solar systems work when it is cloudy?
Is California a good state to install solar electric systems?
Will solar systems produce energy when the sun doesn’t shine?
Is solar energy considered a renewable energy?
Will solar electric work in a remote place on earth?
What happens to extra electricity that is produced by solar panels?
Can you hook up a solar panel directly to a home appliance?
How long will it take for a solar system to pay for itself?
Here are some more advantages and disadvantages of solar
energy being used: