How Environmentally Friendly Are Solar Panels?

More and more households and buildings are going solar. There are two main reasons for this trend, namely cost-efficiency and eco-friendliness.

First, solar panels can help with energy consumption as they generate direct current (DC) electricity that powers residential and commercial structures.

Here’s how it works: The solar panels absorb the particles of light from the sun through its semiconducting silicon materials. This causes electrons to escape from the atoms and move around the solar cells, producing DC electricity. This will then be converted into alternating current (AC) electricity, supplying power to your property.

Second, solar power is eco-friendly. It’s a clean energy source, unlike other sources like coal, natural gas, or nuclear power plants. In addition, it’s renewable and sustainable, with the sun providing infinite amounts of energy.

Solar power also does not cause environmental pollution, which is one of the unfavorable habits to drop if we want to preserve Mother Earth for future generations.

Take a closer look at how solar energy can help the environment:

1. It uses less water

Water is one of the earth’s most precious life-giving natural resources. It’s used in agriculture, drinking systems, and the like, making it vital that we save as much of it as possible.

With solar energy, less water is consumed, saving numerous liters of water for other uses. On the contrary, traditional methods of producing electricity use up enormous amounts of water to cool facilities and refine fuel for transporting through pipes.

So, although the production of solar panels is a manufacturing process that will require some use of water, the total amount consumed is still a lot less than that of traditional sources of electricity.

2. It reduces the emission of greenhouse gases

Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide are produced by burning fossil fuels like coal, gas, and oil. They contribute to the greenhouse effect, wherein the heat from the sunlight is used to make earth warm enough to be livable.

However, as these gases are released into the air, they also don’t leave the atmosphere, trapping more heat than what’s necessary. Over time, the surface of the earth heats up, leading to global warming, which has been linked to various natural disasters and problems like extreme drought, cyclones, flooding, and climate change.

Solar energy can help reduce the harmful consequences of the greenhouse effect since it does not produce any harmful gases. If every household were to use solar energy systems, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions would be dramatically reduced, slowing down the warming of the earth’s surface by more years.

3. It lessens the strain on finite natural resources

As global populations keep growing, there’s an urgent need to preserve natural resources that come in finite amounts, such as fossil fuels. Continued use of these resources will not only pollute the environment but will also deplete them over time.

Once they become depleted, it will require a lot of effort, time, and money to extract them from the earth’s crust, causing energy shortage that may affect billions of people worldwide.

On the other hand, the sun has infinite amounts of energy that can supply power to the whole world for years and years to come. We can harness that free energy without having to worry that the sun will run out of it or that people will be left without electricity in their homes or offices.

4. It minimizes air pollution

Using solar panels can contribute to improving the quality of the air we breathe. Since solar energy doesn’t involve the burning of fossil fuels, it helps to clean the air and rid it of toxic elements that can harm the environment and people.

Solar energy has applications in the car industry, too. It can power electric vehicles, which can hopefully put traditional cars out of the road along with their harmful carbon dioxide emissions.

Being Friendly to the Environment

Shifting to solar power is beneficial in many ways. It’s practical for families who want to save on electricity costs, and it’s a responsible act that can save the planet, too. Utilizing solar panels can also be a great way to increase awareness about the importance of taking care of the earth, the only home that we’ve got.