Solar Electric Power Can Save the Environment

Most people know that using solar electric power can be great for the environment because it doesn’t require using fossil fuels such as oil.  However, did you know that advances over the past several years have significantly improved the efficiency of solar electric panels to the point where they can now become viable alternatives to many traditional forms of energy?

So how can solar panels make a real difference in helping the environment?  While in the past, solar electric panels where used for small applications like powering a garden light or a traffic light, today’s solar panels are efficient enough to power major appliances in your home.  Rather than being a novelty, solar panels can finally start making a difference in the world energy crisis we face today.  You may think that your small changes won’t make much of a difference in the grander scheme of things.  But, if a lot of people follow your lead and begin to use solar energy to power their homes, all those little changes will add up to make a real difference in the environment.

There are many environmental advantages to using solar energy, including:

• Solar energy can meet all of our energy needs without ever hurting the environment.  The sun has an infinite amount of renewable energy potential within it; all we have to do is harness it.  It’s been around since before the beginning of recorded time and will probably be around long after we’re all gone, so you can rest assured that the sun will always be able to supply us with a steady, reliable, clean steam of energy.

• Solar energy is an environmentally friendly energy resource which won’t pollute our lands, water and air, threaten our health and contribute to global warming. It can help us cut down hydrocarbons and emissions, leading to fresher, cleaner air.  This would eventually lead to a reduction in acid rain and smog and greatly decrease air pollution.

• Solar energy can offset some greenhouse gases.  The solar cell (PV systems) generates electricity with absolutely no carbon dioxide (CO2) emission, which can significantly reduce the overall greenhouse effect.  Some studies have shown that almost six tons of carbon emissions may be offset by the use of a single solar cell, when use for 25 years.  This may not seem like much, but little changes can add up to big progress over time.  For example, put a single penny in a jar and then tomorrow put 2 pennies in.   Continue to double the amount you put in every day and in 30 days you’ll have $536,870,912.  Still don’t think that a small change can make a big difference?

• Solar energy can supplement other power generation methods and help communities conserve the energy they are currently producing.  This will lessen the straign placed on already overworked power plants and could reduce or eliminate rolling blackouts, of the type California experienced several years ago.

• Solar energy can reduce the number of dry cell batteries being discarded every year.  Small dry-cell batteries are used by everything from flashlights, kids’ toys, radio and a variety of other electronic gadgets.  These batteries are made up of lead acid and other toxic materials.  Disposed batteries that end up in landfills have the potential of leaking over time and releasing toxic chemicals into our ground water and soil.  By switching a lot of gadgets to use solar cells (like some calculators do today), we can significantly reduce the number of batteries being discarded every year and reduce the amount of damage we are causing to our environment.

So why hasn’t the government done more to encourage the wide-spread use of solar electric power? The reason for their behavior can be summed up in a few short words: cheap fuel.  The prices for oil and coal have been relatively low over the past century or so.  The technologies to harness and use these fuels is long established (and paid for) and the industries that provide conventional electric power today employ hundreds of thousands of workers.  While solar energy is free, the equipment to harness it and convert it to electricity is not.  The initial investment required to create large scale solar farms is substantial.  It would political suicide for any government to promote this type of large investment at which would inevitably lead to the loss of thousands of jobs in the oil, gas and coal industries.

However, there is hope on the horizon.  As the fuel costs continue to rise and put more strain on the economy, the alternative energy industry is becoming relevant.  Everyday, an increasing number of Americans are demanding lower cost alternatives to the high cost of fossil fuels.  Each year, the thought of setting aside large amounts of land to house thousands of solar panels is becoming more politically palatable.  The influence of the oil, gas and coal industries over government policy decisions is diminishing as they politicians are beginning to listen to the voters who demand alternative energy solutions.

The ironic part of it all is that the same politicians who didn’t work every hard to promote solar electric power alternatives, are the same politicians who are first in line to sign their own praises when it comes to helping the environment.  Where are few years ago, the officials who labeled solar energy advocates are environmental extremists, are now seeking their support as “partners” in the fight to save the environment.

Let’s hope that government continues to look out for and listen to the voters and take steps to move closer to a solar powered world.