Solar energy is derived from the sun’s radiation. The sun is quite a powerful source of renewable energy and this source of renewable energy can be harnessed by getting a solar panel installation. But, most people don’t know that the solar energy that comes from the sun to the Earth, for a single hour could meet the global energy needs for a whole year. But, even with solar panels, we are only able to harness 0.001 percent of the solar energy that is hitting the earth.

There is however a reason why solar energy gas becomes a trending topic when speaking about sources of renewable energy. It has been widely ridiculed for being quite expensive or not the most efficient sort of power, solar power has therefore been proved to be extremely beneficial, not only for the environment but also financially speaking.

There are various incentives for solar panel installation, as well as the increase in high demand, the solar energy technology has been vastly improved considerably and has been complemented by solar storage systems, turning into a significantly more efficient source of renewable energy.

Listed in the table below are the pros and cons of solar energy as well as an in-depth look at each:

Pros and Cons of Solar Energy

Solar Energy Advantages

Sources of Renewable Energy

Among all of the benefits that come with getting a solar panel installation, the most important thing is that solar energy. It can be harnessed in all areas of the world and is available every day. We can’t run out of solar power, unlike other sources of renewable energy. As long as the sun is still shining you we won’t run out of solar energy, which is different than other sources of renewable energy.

The Reduction of Electricity Bills

Since you will be meeting some of your energy needs with the electricity that is coming from your solar-powered systems, your energy bills will drop. How much you can save on your bill will be dependent on the size of the solar-powered system and your electricity or hear usage. There will not only be saved on the electricity bill, but there is also a possibility to receive payments for the surplus energy that you will export back to the grid. If you generate more electricity than you use and if your solar-powered system is connected to the grid.

Diverse Applications

Solar energy can be used for multiple diverse purposes. You can generate electricity via photovoltaics, or head also known as solar thermal. Solar energy can be used to produce electricity in areas without access to the energy grid, to distill water in regions with limited clean water supplies to power satellites in space. Solar energy can also be integrated into the materials that are used for buildings. More recent application development was transparent solar energy windows.

Low Maintenance Costs

Solar-powered systems generally aren’t going to require a lot of maintenance. You will only need to make sure that you will keep them relatively clean, therefore cleaning them a couple of times per year will do the job. If under special circumstances your solar panels need to be professionally clean them, you can rely on specialized cleaning companies. Most of the reliable solar panel manufacturers are going to offer 20-25 year warranties. The solar power inverters are the only parts of the solar-powered system that will need to be changed after 5-10 years because it is continuously working to convert solar energy into electricity as well as heat. Apart from the solar power inverter, the cables will also need maintenance to ensure that the solar-powered systems run most efficiently. After covering the initial cost of solar, you can expect very little spending on maintenance and repair work.

Disadvantages of Solar Energy

Cost

The initial cost of solar can be pretty high. This includes paying for the whole solar-powered system, and for the solar panel installation. Nevertheless, solar power technologies are constantly developing, so it’s safe to assume that the cost of solar will go down in the future.

Dependency on the Weather

Although solar energy can still be collected during cloudy and rainy days, the efficiency of the solar-powered system drops. Solar panels become very dependent on sunlight to effectively gather solar power. Therefore, a few cloudy, rainy days can have a noticeable effect on the solar-powered system. You should also take into account that solar energy cannot be collected during the night.

The Cost of Solar Energy Storage

Solar energy has to be used right away, or it can be stored in large batteries. The solar power batteries are often used in off-grid solar panel systems, they can be charged during the day so that the energy is used often at night. This is a good solution for using solar energy all day long but it is also quite expensive. In most cases, it is smarter to just use solar energy during the day and take energy from the grid during the night hours. But lucky for most people the energy demand is most often higher during the daytime, therefore you can meet most of it with solar energy.

Uses a Lot of Space

The more electricity your solar-powered system needs to produce, the more solar panels you are going to need to collect as much sunlight as possible. Solar panels with photovoltaic cells require a lot of space and some rooftops aren’t going to be big enough to fit the correct number of solar panels that you need to have. An alternative is to get to solar panel installation on the ground and yet in the yard, but they will need to have access to sunlight.