What are solar energy’s advantages and disadvantages? Solar or the sun radiates its energy in the form of heat and light to the earth. Of the total energy, 30% of it goes back to the universe. Meanwhile, the remaining energy is absorbed by the land, ocean, and cloud.
Sure, even the absorbed energy is tremendous. Every hour, the energy accepted by the earth can be used for over a year by people worldwide. It is so amazing.
The most important thing is that solar energy is renewable. In other words, there is no crisis or scarcity as long as the sun still doesn’t stop working. It is different from fossil fuels such as gas, oil, and coal that will one day be emptied.
It will take thousands or even millions of years for the earth to produce them in the future. Aside from the everlastingness, what are the advantages of solar energy? Here they are.
Solar Energy Advantages and Disadvantages
Solar Energy Advantages
Environmentally Friendly
Solar energy is known for being environmentally friendly. It doesn’t produce things like waste that are dangerous to the environment. Sure, this benefit is not only for a short time period but maybe forever. By reducing carbon emissions significantly, solar energy systems contribute to fighting climate change.
Free
Despite being unlimited, solar energy can be used for free. You only need to bear the initial solar installation cost. Once installing solar panels, you can generate electricity with no additional expenses, making it a more cost-effective alternative in the long run.
On the other hand, you only need to buy and install the tool to turn the solar radiation into energy to be utilized for your necessities. The tool is also known as the solar panel.
Nowadays, solar panel tends to be expensive in terms of price. But by remembering that you can use it for a really long time without any additional cost, this must be much cheaper than the other options.
Easy Treatments
The next benefit is that solar energy only needs a few easy treatments. After installation and optimization, the panel can form electric power in an area field of only a few millimeters. It’s noteworthy that maintenance costs for a solar panel system are relatively low.
The process also doesn’t take too much time to just use the energy directly after some seconds or minutes. It is also claimed that the solar panel is not easily damaged, regardless of the weather. The replacement can be done even after some decades.
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Quiet
Lastly, the solar panel system is calming and quiet. Turning solar radiation into energy doesn’t produce any noisy sound that can disturb your activities. As a user, you only need to turn on the devices related to it. Simply put, the energy can be utilized.
Although solar energy and panels are best known for many benefits for the users, it doesn’t mean that there is no lack at all. So, what are the disadvantages?
Solar Energy Disadvantages
When there is no sun seen
There are some moments when the Earth cannot accept the sun’s radiation well. In particular seasons like rainy, cloudy, or winter, the sunlight is blocked by the clouds. This doesn’t mean that solar panels cannot be used completely. It is just about the energy produced that tends to be less and more limited.
But it would help if you did not worry; some solar panel producers have tricked it by applying a feature that can track the sunlight. Although the result is not as optimal as during the sunny weather, it is helpful enough to produce the daily necessities.
Bigger Cost
Unfortunately, the cost of establishing solar panels requires consideration. That’s why many countries still think twice about applying solar energy nationally since it may burden the people. However, as solar technology progresses, the costs are expected to decrease, making solar a viable renewable energy source for more people.
However, no matter how expensive, solar energy is considered one of the best ideas for future energy sources. Along with the development of technology, it is expected that more people will utilize energy more cheaply.
