As we all know, most of the sources of energy we use today are non-renewable and are quickly getting depleted day by day.
Most of the non-renewable sources of energy we use today have some or the other negative impact on the environment. This is exactly why we need to switch to using an energy source that is never-ending and has no adverse bearing on the environment.
Solar energy is a renewable source of energy that offers several benefits apart from being environmentally friendly and non-toxic.
The following are the benefits of using solar energy:
Reduction in energy bills
The main benefit of solar energy is saving on electricity bills. When you are using solar power, you are actually generating your own electricity. Now, generating your own electricity means you will be using less electricity provided by the utility supplier.
This will immediately result in profits on your energy cost. Plus, you also have the option to sell unused electricity generated by solar panels back to the grid.
In order to promote green energy, the government and local authorities have begun to offer several perks and benefits to the people willing to install solar panels. With the help of various solar panel grants offered by the authorities, you can make your green investment turn even more beneficial.
The more energy you produce, the less dependent you will be on the supplier. This will help to make you more energy self-reliant. That is why in recent times many homeowners have chosen to install residential solar power systems.
Applications
We all know that the energy provided by the sun is never going to end.
As long as there is sunshine, solar energy can be deployed anywhere and anytime. This is especially useful for remote regions with no access to any other source of electricity.
To this day, there is a huge chunk of the population on the planet with no access to electricity. For them, solar energy is the best and most economical way to generate their own electricity.
Independent solar systems can be installed in distant regions that can help to improve the lives of millions of people. With the availability of affordable solar panels, many households are also switching to solar energy.
Solar energy is not only used to generate electricity, but it is also used in cooking, heating water, powering household appliances, etc. Moreover, solar energy is also used to power up spacecraft and boats.
Impact on the environment
Most of the energy sources on this planet are non-renewable and will get exhausted at some point in the future.
Almost all the sources of energy have some kind of negative impact on the environment. For instance, burning fuel pollutes the air in the environment. But on the other hand, solar energy has the least adverse impact on the environment as compared to any other source of energy.
It does not produce greenhouse gases and does not pollute the water. Neither does it require a lot of water for its maintenance, compared to nuclear power plants, which need 20 times more water.
Plus, producing solar energy does not create any noise, which is a major benefit since a lot of solar installations are in urban areas.
Energy production during peak hours
Energy demand tends to be higher in the 11:00-16:00 time frame and then early in the evening. This is because that’s the time when offices and factories operate.
Due to high consumption during this time, the price of the electricity peaks during these hours.
That’s the same time when solar energy reaches its maximum production capacity and gives the best output to the users.
Electricity produced during these hours will have a higher value instead of when it gets generated at night. With the additional electricity input of solar energy, homeowners and businesses can bring down their electricity costs significantly.
By using solar power during the day and regular electricity at night, energy bills during the peak time frames can be brought down to a level close to those of night hours.
Less electricity wastage during distant transport
Most of the electric power plants are situated in remote locations far away from locations where people live. When the electricity is transported from the plant to the households some part of the energy is either lost or gets wasted.
Around 3-5% of electricity is lost during transportation and distribution to distant places. The longer the distances between the electric plant and the supply points, the more energy is wasted during transport.
While these losses might not seem huge, they can influence the performance of the solar panels installed in regions with high population density.
Having solar panels installed on the roof or in the yard of your house significantly reduces the distance traveled by this energy. This in turn helps in increasing the efficiency of the solar panels.
Job creation
The advantages of using solar energy are plenty, one important one being job creation.
A large part of the cost associated with solar power systems comes with the installation of these panels. These systems can only be installed by trained professionals. Since these panels are pretty expensive, you don’t want to take the DIY route and install them yourself.
Therefore, contributing to local job creations, using solar systems boosts the economy and positively affects the local community.