What Are Some Advantages & Disadvantages of Using Solar Energy?
Converting to an alternative energy system often requires that you make significant changes in the ways you use energy. This is especially true of switching from commercially-generated electricity to solar energy technology. However, for many solar advocates, the benefits of using solar power far outweigh the inconveniences of conversion. When you consider making the change, weigh the advantages against the disadvantages in order to make an informed decision.
Advantages of solar energy include:
- Non-polluting
- Self-renewing
- Free of charge
- Always accessible in good weather
Disadvantages of solar energy include:
- Only accessible in good weather
- Cost of system set-up
- Requires energy conservation
- Requires a clear path between sun and solar panels
If you are willing to pare down your total energy consumption in order to run your entire household on solar energy, and you have a location that lends itself to setting up unobstructed panels, conversion to solar energy may make good economic and environmental sense.
solar-cell image by carsten jacobs from Fotolia.com jQuery(document).ready(function(){ jQuery(‘#jsArticleStep1 span.image a:first’).attr(‘href’,’http://i.ehow.com/images/a06/6e/8p/advantages-disadvantages-using-solar-energy_-1.1-800X800.jpg’); }); Solar energy As global warming and a dwindling supply of fossil fuels have become hot-button issues, scientists are looking for alternate sources of energy. One source that has been considered for years is solar energy. However, just as solar energy has many advantages, it also has its disadvantages. Economics According to factsaboutsolarenergy.com, solar energy is an economical alternative to oil. Since the source is the sun, there is a constant supply of energy that does not fluctuate like oil and gas. Also, the government provides incentives and tax breaks for home owners who utilize solar energy. Environmental Unlike gas and oil, solar energy is a renewable energy. Solar energy, unlike other sources, does not produce pollution. Other ener
