It seems like everyone from the media to advocacy groups to the Obama administration is talking about solar energy. What causes all of this interest in solar electricity ?   While it is the many advantages that excite so many people, there are also a number of disadvantages. Overcoming the disadvantages can be accomplished if you have some know-how and are willing to put in a little work yourself.

Advantages

Infinite energy source

There is a never-ending supply of solar energy because it is produced by the sun all the time.   The sun produces energy all day, every day of the year.   While fossil fuels like natural gas and oil will eventually run out, solar energy will continue to be available until the sun disappears and at that point we’ll have a lot bigger problems to be worried about than how to power our air conditioners.   The price of these limited fossil fuels will continue to increase as more and more are used up.  The opposite is true of solar power !  It will never run out and the cost will continue to go down as technology gets better and better.

Free energy

As long as you can look out the window and see the sun shining, solar power will continue to be free.   Aside from battery replacement, if batteries are used in the solar power system, there is virtually no ongoing cost for solar electricity .   You can completely disconnect from the electrical grid if you install enough solar panels.   This is called off grid living.   Some people intentionally stay connected to the electric grid, are able to generate more power than they use and actually get paid for the extra electricity by the power company!

No greenhouse gasses

For those people worried about global warming, solar energy is the solution! Solar electricity produces absolutely no greenhouse gasses, unlike fossil fuels like oil and natural gas.  If you wish to reduce your carbon footprint, solar energy is a great way to do it.  Solar power doesn’t generate any CO2 of emissions of any type.

Reduce dependence on foreign oil

Dependence on foreign oil is widely considered one of the biggest security threats today.   Our dependence on foreign oil can be reduced by the use of solar electricity .   Any domestically produced solar electricity would directly replace energy that is produced with foreign oil.

Disadvantages

Initial cost

Most people consider initial cost to the be the biggest disadvantages to solar power .   The initial cost of solar panels can be quite high, while the ongoing costs of solar energy are very small.   You can figure out how much it would cost to install enough solar panels to power your home and download a spreadsheet to do the calculations by taking a look at   Solar Panel Cost Solar Panels Cost.

If you have a good set of plans, a few common tools and enough time, you can build your own solar panels and reduce the initial cost significantly.   If you are looking for instructions on how to build your own solar panel, check out  DIY Solar Panel.

Required space

Solar panels must be oriented so they point to the south and also need enough space for all the panels.   Solar panels produce the most electricity in parts of the world that a lot of sun. Areas that get a lot of sun are ideal for solar panels.   Solar maps are available that show the average sun in every part of the country.   Solar panels located in areas with larger scores will produce more electricity with a solar panel of the same size.   If you live in an area with a lower score, it doesn’t necessarily indicate that you can’t use solar electricity, however you will need more solar panels to generate enough electricity for your house.

As you can see, there are advantages and disadvantages to solar power.   The advantages of solar power, however , outweigh the disadvantages.   If you build your own solar panel, you can avoid many of the disadvantages.   For the best guide to building a diy solar panel, visit     GreenDIYEnergy .

 


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