Solar Power-Advantages and Disadvantages
March 14, 2008
There are many advantages worth considering when it comes to solar energy and everything that it offers. There are many advantages that solar energy has over oil energy. Not only does solar energy benefit your pocketbook, but it also benefits the environment as well. However, there are two sides to everything, and there is a list of solar power disadvantages to accompany the list of advantages.
Advantage: Solar energy is a completely renewable resource. This means that even when we cannot make use of the sun’s power because of nighttime or cloudy and stormy days, we can always rely on the sun showing up the very next day as a constant and consistent power source.
Disadvantage: The Solar Cells and Solar Panels that are needed to harness solar energy tend to be very expensive when you first purchase them.
Advantage: Oil, which is what most people currently use to power their homes, is not a renewable resource. This means that as soon as the oil is gone, it is gone forever and we will no longer have power or energy.
Disadvantage: Solar power cannot be harnessed during a storm, on a cloudy day or at night. This limits how much power can be saved for future days. Some days you may still need to rely on oil to power your home.
Advantage: Solar cells make absolutely no noise at all. They do not make a single peep while extracting useful energy from the sun. On the other hand, the giant machines utilized for pumping oil are extremely noisy and therefore very impractical.
Advantage: Solar energy creates absolutely no pollution. This is perhaps the most important advantage that makes solar energy so much more practical than oil. Oil burning releases harmful greenhouses gases, carcinogens and carbon dioxide into our precious air.
Advantage: Very little maintenance is required to keep solar cells running. There are no moving parts in a solar cell, which makes it impossible to really hurt them. Solar cells tend to last a good long time with only an annual cleaning to worry about.
Advantage: Solar panels and solar lighting may seem quite expensive when you first purchase it, but in the long run you will find yourself saving quite a great deal of money. After all, it does not cost anything to harness the power of the sun. Unfortunately, paying for oil is an expensive prospect and the cost is still rising consistently. Why pay for expensive energy when you can harness it freely?
Advantage: Solar powered panels and products are typically extremely easy to install. Wires, cords and power sources are not needed at all, making this an easy prospect to employ.
Advantage: Solar power technology is improving consistently over time, as people begin to understand all of the benefits offered by this incredible technology. As our oil reserves decline, it is important for us to turn to alternative sources for energy.
Follow Up Articles:
Solar Power Advantages and Solar Power Disadvantages
Comments
8 Responses to “Solar Power-Advantages and Disadvantages”
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Solar energy is the wave of the future! Thanks for all the great info. I was browsing through a bunch of green websites and blogs and I came across yours and found it very interesting. There are a bunch of others I like too, like the daily green, ecorazzi and earthlab.com. I especially like EarthLab.com’s carbon calculator. I find it really easy to use (it doesn’t make me feel guilty after I take it). Are there any others you would recommend? Can you drop me a link to your favorites (let me know if they are the same as mine).
But, there must be more disadvantages?
surely solar power cannot be perfect?
Are there any more disadvantages listed, because I could list alot more.
Great website. Just what I needed for my solar car project. Thank You
thank you sooooooooo much, this is also helping me on my project
This is a good website, but I think more disadvantages can be included.
Maria? Please do share some of those disadvantages that you think we missed? The comments are turned on so that people can discuss the subjects, so if you have something to share, please do tell us waht you have on your mind?
LuLu, the only “disadvantages” have to do with storing the energy, which is quickly being addressed, now that people are taking alternative energy seriously. As far as I can tell, the biggest reason that alternative energy hasn’t gained more support in the past is that it’s not an ongoing money-maker for energy companies. Sure, they sell the equipment (to those who don’t do it themselves and can afford a huge profit up-front,) but then you’re getting free energy from nature for YEARS — energy that corporations can’t profit from and the government has no practical way to tax. Follow the money, and you’ll see why alternative energy sources have been squashed for so long.
Solar energy is future energy and it cost depend on size i f you buy a big one it cost more if you buy a middle or small it cost a bit.
solar energy is better than the others because it help ful for people and it does’nt have a lot disadvanteges
i found out