In addition to producing biomass, wind, hydropower, and wave energy, solar energy represents a huge source of usable energy.
FREMONT, CA: The amount of sunlight reaching the planet's surface in an hour and a half is sufficient to provide all of the world's energy needs for a year. Solar energy systems either use photovoltaic (PV) panels or mirrors to focus solar radiation on converting sunlight into electrical energy. This power converts into electricity or can be stored thermally or in batteries.
Advantages of solar energy
Low environmental impact: Comparing solar energy to other forms of energy, the environment benefits more from solar energy. It reduces carbon emissions, reduces reliance on limited natural resources, and aids in the battle against global warming.
Energy independence: Reliance on renewable energy is measured by your energy independence. It is determined by how much energy comes from solar or storage devices as opposed to the grid or a utility.
Disadvantages of solar energy
Intermittency: One option to deal with the intermittent nature of renewable energy is to store excess renewable energy (or buy and store it while costs are low) for use when electricity demand exceeds supply.
Land use: Burning fossil fuels has several negative repercussions, including climate change and global warming. Solar energy is a renewable resource with no harmful carbon emissions. We can generate cleaner electricity by utilizing solar energy while halting climate change.
Scarcity of resources: Natural resources become scarce when demand exceeds supply, leading to a decline in their stock.
An environmental downside: The fact that solar technology uses many dangerous elements, such as electronics, is its only ecological drawback. As solar energy grows in popularity, the issue of how to dispose of dangerous waste also gets increasingly difficult.
