Solar Energy – Advantages and Disadvantages

In the midst of both an economic and global crisis, folks are investigating every way they can to save money while also taking better care of the environment. One of the leading ways to save money is by saving energy. But everybody needs energy to be able to live and work comfortably and effectively. One way that homeowners can save money and energy is by taking advantage of solar power.

By installing a solar power system in your home, you will begin saving energy and money immediately. If you take full advantage of it, you could power your home and could even be energy independent and not subscribe from your power provider. But first we need to look at the advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages

¨ After the initial investment of a solar power system, the energy you collect is practically free and the savings will last for many years to come.

¨ The recovery of your investment can be realized relatively quickly depending on how much energy the home uses.

¨ By using solar power you are reducing the use of fuels that can produce vast amounts of carbon dioxide, which is very harmful to the environment.

¨ There is no waste product in using solar energy and has minimal impact on the environment.

¨ The equipment in general has a long operation life, is low maintenance and usually has a long warranty (20 year warranty is an industry standard).

¨ Solar energy is not affected by the supply and demand of fuel and is therefore not subjected to fluctuating energy costs.

¨ There are financial rebates and incentives from the government that will reduce your cost for a solar system. Visit Green Energy Ohio for Ohio residents or Database of Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency for other states.

¨ The sun is a constant renewable energy. It will not deplete over time like fossil fuels that is used now for most energy use.

¨ Solar energy is available to everyone and is not dependent on foreign countries for our energy source.

Disadvantages

¨ The initial investment is one of the main disadvantages of installing a solar system. This is largely due in part to the high coast of the semi-conducting materials used in building one.

¨ The cost of solar energy may rise as more demand is reached in years to come.

¨ Solar panels require a large area for installation to maintain a high level of efficiency.

¨ The efficiency of a system depends largely on the location of the sun, although this can be overcome by certain components.

¨ The availability of the sun can be affected by the presence of clouds or pollution in the air.

¨ At night, there is no solar energy being produced, so a back up system will need to be in place to keep the home running. This can be achieved through the use of a battery system or net-metering.