Solar energy can be used to make electricity, heating and cooling, hot water, cooking, and even for producing salt desalination.
Solar power comes from the suns rays.
It is known to be very environmentally friendly.
However, when the suns rays enter the earths atmosphere it is quite dilute.
Although solar energy is known to be very environmentally friendly (Green) it doesn't only offer advantages but also some disadvantages.
Lets talk about some of the advantages and disadvantages of solar power.
Itcan be used to make electricity, heating and cooling, hot water, cooking, and even for producing salt desalination.
Solar power comes from the suns rays.
However, when the suns rays enter the earths atmosphere it is quite dilute.
Although it is known to be really environmentally favorable it doesn't only have advantages, but also some disadvantages.
Lets hash out some of the advantages and disadvantages.
Why don't we begin with the main advantage.
It is clean.
To produce electrical energy or heat with solar panels you only need the suns rays.
There is no need to use fossil fuel in combination with suns rays to produce electricity or heat.
You just need a collector or solar power panels in order to collect and transformthe suns energy.
It is much cheaper than traditional electric.
That is another great advantage.
Just by utilizing the power of the sun, you can save a lot of money on heat.
In return you will realize smaller electric bills.
If you live in a remote area where there are no power-lines solar can be your solution.
There are rural areas where power companies have no means to access your home.
This is an excellent alternative because it provides you with everything from heating water, a supply of electricity, and even cooking, and that pretty well covers all of the bases.
Another great use is for desalination in areas where fresh, drinkable water is scarce.
The suns energy evaporates brine and leaves the salt crystals in the bottom of the catch basin.
The water in turn condenses into another basin where it is now drinkable.
While all of the above is very useful, solar energy does have some disadvantages.
These disadvantages also need to be talked about to paint a better overall picture.
The main disadvantage is that its dilute.
Which means that you need to have a bunch of solar collectors installed around your house.
The suns energy may be free, but the solar collectors are relatively high-priced and involve regular maintenance in order to function properly and efficiently.
If you decide to go this route, you will need to calculate the return on invested capital in order to know if the investment is cost effective.
One primary disadvantage is that you need the suns rays to make use of this power.
If you are located in a part of the earth where there is very little sun light then this could be a problem.
In other areas, the suns rays are almost always covered in clouds making the energy collectors less effective.
You should first know if the sunshine in your area is abundant for the most part of the year.
Of course if you live in desert areas like in Arizona or New Mexico the sun produces a lot of sunshine for the most part of the year and is excellent for solar energy collection.
Finally the sun only shines during the day.
Therefore if you need electricity or hot water during the nighttime, like many of us do, it can be a problem.
You will need a backup system like the old utility grid or you will need to store the electricity for later use.
There are battery systems available, that can store electric for use when the sun goes down.
Solar energy is very clean and a great alternative to conventional heating and electrical systems.
It is also good to recognize the disadvantages.
If you are thinking about employing solar energy you must read this first to make a informed decision.