Pollution control through solar

The world is in desperate need of an alternative energy solution that does not contribute to the destruction of the planet. Solar energy is on course to dominate energy production in the next century. Without it, projections of worldwide cataclysms will dominate the news. Pollution, according to the climate experts, is caused by man and can be expected to continue as long as fossil fuels continue to be burned to the current extent. The latest research suggests that we need to expand our solar capability dramatically or we will suffer the worst of climate change's impacts now and in the future.

The nasty consequences of burning fossil fuels

Fossil-fuel based electricity generation around the world has enormous environmental consequences. In 2007, 2.4 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) were emitted from electricity generation in the United States, about 40 percent of the country’s energy-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. “Electricity generation in China produced just over 2 billion metric tons of CO2, accounting for about one-third of its energy-related GHG emissions in the same year. Fossil-fuel combustion is also responsible for the discharge of other pollutants, such as nitrogen oxide (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2). Electricity production also puts a pressure on water and land supplies. In 2000, thermal power plants accounted for nearly half of the total withdrawals of water in the United States and nearly 40 percent of water withdrawals for industrialized use in China. In summation, decreasing environmental impacts is a major impetus for changing from fossil fuels to renewable energy for electricity generation.

Solar power is an increasingly necessary energy source

Developing renewable energy technologies that utilize the sun, the wind, and geothermal energy is critical to combating global warming. However, using renewable energy sources will not dismiss all environmental concerns. Although renewable energy sources produce low levels of GHG emissions and conventional air pollution, manufacturing and transporting them will produce some emanations. The production of photovoltaic (PV) cells, for instance, generates toxic materials that may contaminate water resources. Renewable energy plants can also have a damaging effect on land use and wildlife habitat, and some energy technologies use significant quantities of water. To develop sound ecological policies, lawmakers must understand the environmental impacts of renewable energy sources, including how the impacts of alternative energy technologies compare to those of fossil-fuel technologies and to opportunities for advances in energy efficiency. Understanding the potential environmental impacts of renewable energy technologies is also necessary for identifying and pursuing designs, manufacturing methods, project siting, utility operations, to mitigate or offset these effects.

Environmental impacts of energy sources are normally graded on two scales. The first scale is the regional or national scale, which is an effort to characterize the average impact of a standard facility for the purposes of specific comparisons and planning. Life cycle assessment (LCA), for example, is an attempt to account for the full array of consequences connected with all stages of an energy project, from the extraction of raw materials to the decommissioning of a facility and the disposal of facilities. The second scale is on the local level, where site-specific impacts, such as effects on wildlife and local water supplies, can be assessed.

Solar power's time has come today!

There has never been a better time to install a solar energy system! Solar panel prices remain low, making solar power one of the best investments available on the market today. Solar panels pay for themselves in a short period of time and any power you generate after the panels are paid off is pure profit. Imagine generating your own power! Imagine being liberated from the electrical grid and volatile fossil fuel prices! Now that solar is so competitive financially, there's no reason not to install a solar energy system. Remember, solar power works on cloudy days too!

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