Solar is replacing fossil fuels

Humanity no longer has many responsible choices for the generation of power. Only fifty years of fossil fuels remain and without a sensible energy policy, the world is doomed to progressively worse climate-related weather events. Just this weekend, Hawaii experienced their first hurricane in more than a quarter century. Japan, a nation in the northern hemisphere, recorded record high temperatures and many deaths. But that’s just two dramatic examples. The time has come for renewable energy. There is no longer any sensible reason to continue to drill in environmentally sensitive areas. Solar panels are now cheaper than ever and new solar technologies promise cheaper and more efficient power for the future. Fossil fuels have been a major component of man’s “progress” during the past century. Environmental damage caused by these fuels make them a very poor investment for humanity. Fortunately, the world is gradually waking up to the viability of solar energy.

What are fossil fuels?

Fuels that have been formed from the fossilized remains of prehistoric plants and animals are called fossil fuels.

Coal

Coal is a hard, black colored rock-like substance made up of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and varying amount of sulfur. Coal contributes to around 35% of the total energy produced in the world. However, coal mining is very hazardous to coal mine laborers and to the public in general. The myth of “clean coal” is being promoted by President Donald Trump in spite of overwhelming scientific evidence that no such thing exists.

Oil

Oil was formed from the remains of sea animals that died millions of years ago. Oil is made up of hydrogen and carbon atoms. Oil contributes to around 23% of the total energy produced in the world. Oil contributes mightily to pollution worldwide and is largely responsible for the horrendous air quality seen in the urban areas of India and China.

Natural gas

Natural gas was formed from the remains of sea animals that died many years ago; the gas formed was trapped in the rocks undersea. Natural gas contributes to about 21% of the total energy produced in the world. From these statistics, it is clear that most of the present day energy demand is met by consuming fossil fuels. In fact, nearly 86% of the global demand is met by fossil fuels; another eight percent is met by nuclear energy and the remaining six percent is met by renewable sources of energy.

Disadvantages of fossil fuels

There are many obvious disadvantages associated with the usage of fossil fuels. A brief summary: When fossil fuels are burned in excess amounts they cause the emission of greenhouse gas (CO2). Greenhouse gases make the earth absorb more heat and therefore increase the earth's temperature.. This effect is called the Greenhouse Effect. With ocean drilling for oil, there are chances of oil spills which could affect the aquatic life in the ocean. There have been numerous occasions of spills in the recent history and oil companies are extremely lax in dealing with environmental concerns. Fossil fuels also give birth to pollution which not only affects humans but the aquatic life as well.

Renewable resources

These energy resources are naturally replenished and can be renewed over and over. Examples include geothermal energy, hydropower, solar energy, wind energy and tidal energy.
As their name suggests, non-renewables, cannot be renewed again if exhausted. Examples include coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear energy, petrochemicals and others. Fossil fuels fall under the category of non-renewable energy resources and hence, cannot be reproduced if exhausted. Though they are present in large quantities, all over the earth, they are still limited in quantity and should, therefore, be consumed thoughtfully and in limited doses.

There has never been a better time to install a solar energy system!

Solar power is here to stay, and the sooner you explore how much you can save, the sooner you can enjoy the benefits of residential solar power. Go to HahaSmart.com and try our price checker tool. It tells you how much solar power you need, and how much you can save.

Please visit our solar blog to find out more about the benefits of going solar.