Pros and Cons Of Solar Energy

Solar energy can be a very good altenative energy resouce that makes it a good alternative source of earth polluting energy such as fossil fuel.  There are people who worry about the environment and are looking for ways that can help save the planet.  There are things that we can do that can have a significant impact on the environment and one of this is switching to solar power.  But there are pros and cons of solar energy.  Here are some of them.

Solar energy has a high upfront cost.  This means that switching to solar power can be viewed as an investment.  The cost of switching to solar power is usually one of the barriers people encounter.  Switching to solar panels pays for itself in about 10 years and will continue to produce for an addtional 10-15 more years.  State incentives also award solar enegy users up to 30% federal tax rebates in order to help mitigate with the cost.  Solar companies also help consumers and clients by offering system leases and power purchase agreements in order to help with the initial cost.  However, even after all of this, the initial outlay of going solar is still quite high and will require a signiificant amount of capitalization on the user's part.  This is part of the pros and cons of solar energy. 

Another con for the pros and cons of solar energy is the conditions of installation.  Not everybody is a viable candidate when it comes to solar energy.  There are certain conditions that will have to be met before installation of solar panels.  Some aspects that solar energy companies consider are shading and roof orientation.  People with south facing roofs with little shading are the ideal candidates for solar energy.  The special way a solar panel is constructed means that even the slightest shading can have effects on the system's energy productivity.  Telephone poles, leaves, tall buildings and other variables that can create shades will affect the solar modules.  Financially, if the user already has low electric bills the system will take a longer time to pay for itself having little effect on the investment.

There are pros and cons of solar energy and here are the pros.  The first advantage is savings.  Solar energy pays for itself in around 10-15 years and will keep on producing energy for many more years.  Solar energy is a very good investment especially to those with high electric bills.  Switching to solar has the potential of zeroing electric bills.  They also offer a relliable source of energy and a high return of investment rate.  Ther are even some power providers that have programs called net metering wherein they  pay the user any excess energy they generate.

Of course, solar energy is very good for the envirnonment.  It is cleaner, sustainable and renewable compared to nuclear or coal energy.  Studies show that the Earth abosrbs enough energy from the sun to cover all human for a year needs in a single hour!  Solar panels also do not give off harmful greenhouse gases.  It is estimated that during its lifetime a 2.5kw/h solar power system is equivalent to planting 500 trees or not driving 270,000 miles.  This in itself is a very good advantage when looking into the pros and cons of solar energy. 

For the last part of the pros and cons of solar energy: solar panels have low mainteneance.  These system have no moving parts and usually the only maintenance they require is a hosing now and then.  Companies like Sharp and GE also sell solar panesl with exteneded warranties in the rare chance that something does go wrong.  During the estimated 25-40 lifespan of a solar power system, your yard will likely require more work than maintaining your solar panels. 

These pros and cons of solar energy can help the consumer decide if converting to solar energy is the right decison.