1. Why Is Solar Energy Important?
Solar energy is a major renewable energy source
with the potential to meet many of the challenges
facing the world. There are many reasons to
promote its share in the energy market. This power
source is increasing in popularity because it is
versatile with many benefits to people and the
environment.
Importance to Environmental Protection
Sunlight received by earth in one hour is enough to
meet the annual energy needs of all people
worldwide according to National Renewable Energy
Laboratory. In 2015 solar energy was the fastest
growing energy sector with a 33% rise according to
Bloomberg. The environmental advantages are the
main drivers in promoting solar energy.
Solar Is Clean and Safe
Solar is a safe alternative which can replace current
fossil fuels like coal and gas for generation of
electricity that produce air, water, and land
pollution. World Wide Fund For Nature, also known
2. as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), notes that
electricity generation from fossil fuels causes
pollution of air leading to acid rain, damaged forest
areas, and affected agricultural production leading
to loss of billions of dollars worldwide. Fracking in
the U.S. uses thousands of liters of water mixed
with chemicals for extraction contaminating the
water used, along with nearby water bodies, and
also causes earthquakes. Nuclear power pollutes
water and land and has caused environmental
catastrophes. Use of solar energy will eliminate
these unsafe, unclean consequences from using
conventional fossil fuels.
Prevents Destruction of Habitats
Pristine forests are destroyed for mining raw
materials like fossil or nuclear fuels. Trees
constantly remove and use carbon dioxide from the
air to make their food, and this carbon is then
stored in them. When forests are cut for mining raw
materials for conventional energy, this major
carbon sink disappears and also increases climate
3. change. "Nine out of ten animals on land" live in
forests, according to WWF, and a loss of habitats
diminishes their populations. Switching to solar
power is important to keep these habitats intact for
the animals who live there as well as continue to
keep the air clean.
Combats Climate Change
The "electric power sector accounted for 32% of
U.S. total greenhouse gas emissions in 2012,"
according to the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA). The emissions lead to a rise in global
temperatures, and changes in weather patterns
leading to a cascade of effects. Heat waves, and
increase in disease-spreading insects cause health
problems especially for children and the elderly.
Climate change has lead to increase in flooding and
hurricanes due to disturbed weather patterns.
Higher carbon dioxide concentration is making
oceans acidic and killing marine life, like corals.
Climate change causes extinct of species from Sub-
Arctic Boreal forests to tropical Amazon forests.
4. Higher temperatures result melting of polar ice
caps, reducing habitats for wildlife and also increase
sea level. This results in submersion and loss of land
along the coast, displacing people. Irregular rainfall
or increasing droughts affects agriculture and
livelihoods of the weaker sections of society
globally.
Solar power can restrict climate change as it
produces no carbon emissions. The carbon footprint
of solar panels can be offset in as quickly as four
years time according to Greenpeace (myth 5).
Global warming has to be curbed to a 1.5 degrees
Celsius rise, in accordance to the Paris Agreement
of 2015. The U.S. committed to cut down emissions
by 26-28% of 2005 levels by 2025. Solar energy is
vital to meet these commitments.
Social and Economic Benefits
In early 2016 there was a 43% rise in solar
installations, and by the second quarter U.S. had an
installed capacity of 31.6 gigawatts (GW) enough to
5. power 6.2 million homes reports the Solar Energy
Industries Association.
Small and Decentralized Electricity Source
Solar energy's greatest attraction is that it can be
produced on a small scale directly by the end
consumers in contrast to large centralized
conventional energy sources controlled by large
corporations.
Solar energy is suitable for heating and electricity
generation using photo-voltaic cells installed on
roof-tops of individual buildings. This is useful as
decentralized sources of electricity for households
and commercial businesses, according to U.S.
Energy Information Administration (EIA). Solar
water heating and passive solar designing of
buildings to cool or heat space are other solar
technologies available for individual buildings
according to National Renewable Energy
Laboratory.
Medium-sized systems for community level power
generation are also becoming popular. The Office of
6. Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
(Energy.gov) analysis stated that 13 states in U.S.
installed 100 megawatts (MW) in 2015 alone, and
residential units reached 2 gigawatts. Community
solar installations of 100 MW were installed
between 2010-2015. These installations are
important to keep communities running at a lower
cost for everyone.
In addition, EIA states that on a large scale "Solar
thermal/electric power plants generate electricity
by concentrating solar energy to heat a fluid and
produce steam that is then used to power a
generator".
The decentralized nature of solar power makes it a
practical and viable energy source in remote areas
located far from the electricity grid. This is crucial
for agri-business in farms for running irrigation,
greenhouses, and crop and hay dryers, making
agriculture risk-free according to the Union of
Concerned Scientists.
7. Cheap and Reliable Energy Source
Technological developments and policy and
subsides by the government have reduced the high
costs of solar systems. The price of solar PV panels
have decreased by 60% and the cost of the solar
electricity system by 50% according to the
Energy.gov report. So solar energy is now
competitive with conventional energy sources.
The running costs are less and the initial investment
is regained leading to subsequent savings in energy
costs according to Greenpeace. This happens
because the input for solar energy is free and clean
sunlight while fossil fuels are mined and
transported over long distance according to another
Greenpeace report (myth 1). The Greenpeace
report estimates that in the U.S., the costs to deal
with environmental problems from use of "dirty
power sources" double or even triple the cost of
electricity from conventional sources like coal. Solar
energy is important to help offset and potentially
eliminate, these additional costs.
8. Generation of Jobs
The U.S. was the fifth largest producer of solar
panels in the world in 2016 and has created
thousands of jobs in the country, according to
Guardian. A 2016 Energy.gov report states that
employment in the solar sector increased by 123%
in five years since 2010. By 2015 there were
209,000 people employed in solar jobs. Most were
small businesses engaged in installations, followed
by solar designers, sales person and service
professionals. The industry grew 12% faster than
the average American job market, keeping the
economy moving.
In 2015 coal and solar power provided 33% and less
than 1% of energy, respectively. Yet, the solar
industry employed three times more people than
the coal industry in the same year, according to a
Solar Foundation report. The number of people
working in solar is higher than the number working
for oil and gas plants. In fact 1.2% of all jobs in the
U.S. were from the solar industry.
9. In 2015, 1 million people were employed in solar PV
sector. Greenpeace Energy [R]Evolution considers
that by 2030 this could increase to 9.7 million (p.
10). In addition 2.5 million jobs in solar thermal and
5.33 million in solar heat could also be generated
(p. 11).
Funding for Research and Innovations
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has been the
main funding agency since 1977. Funding of more
than 150 million dollars were proposed in 2006 for
solar energy alone. In 2009, around 30 billion
dollars were given to all renewable sources and
smart grid development. Research into solar power
received $310 million in 2013, and grew to $65
million in 2016. The aim has been to develop
technology to improve the efficiency of solar
panels, develop new solar power collectors and
storage capacity and slash costs of electricity
generation to make it more affordable for all. There
has been rapid progress, such as:
10. Research is trying to find novel photo-voltaic
devices by decreasing use of expensive silicon, and
experimenting with different forms and shapes of
panels, bio-based materials, and panel-less solar
production etc, according to MIT.
Improving capacity of batteries to store solar energy
at times of surplus for later use to increase
efficiency and ensure continuous supply is another
option being exploited. Lithium-ion batteries in
combination with software, and new "polymer-
hybrid supercapacitors" being developed would be
drive down costs.
A Sunny Future
Production of energy from solar has been doubling
every twenty months since 2010 according to
Bloomberg. By 2050, Greenpeace Energy
[R]Evolution visualizes energy being produced 100%
by renewables, wherein solar power's contribution
will be 32% (p. 11). The importance of solar energy
is sure to play a big role in saving the environment,
