mitrobeThis is a very controversial issue that can be observed from two perspectives. But first, what is renewable energy?
What is Renewable energy?
Renewable energy is a form of alternative energy that relies on natural processes. These sources include sunlight, wind, rainfall, and geothermal heat. Renewables are sustainable because the earth’s supply continues to regenerate at rates as fast or faster than they are utilized by humans.
The sun provides us with renewable solar power through the use of photovoltaic cells or solar panels. With these cells, electricity is generated when sunlight hits the silicon to create an electric field that separates electrons and creates a flow of current.
The earth’s wind provides renewable energy through the use of turbines that harness kinetic power from moving air masses. This process is accomplished by using blades as part of a wind turbine to create kinetic energy which is converted into electricity.
Renewable sources of power also include hydroelectric and geothermal plants, the heat from within the earth providing a natural source for generating power.
The use of these renewable energies helps to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels that release greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide when burned.
What is non-renewable energy?
The term non-renewable is often used to describe fossil fuels and other finite sources of energy. The terms renewable or sustainable are typically applied to the Earth’s resources, which include water, wind, solar power (direct sunlight), geothermal heat, biomass/bioenergy (organic matter such as wood and crops that can be grown and harvested to produce energy), and tides.
Is solar power renewable? The Arguments
It’s a matter of opinion as the term renewables can be ambiguous. The International Energy Agency defines ‘renewable’ resources as “sources that contribute towards the supply” while still acknowledging that they are not indefinitely available (i.e., fossil fuels) and that they are not necessarily sustainable.
Some experts may consider the sun’s energy to be a form of “renewable” energy, while others argue it falls under non-renewables because its source is finite (i.e., there will come a time when the Sun burns out).
If you were to ask anyone on the street whether solar panels produce clean and green electricity they would say an emphatic “yes.”
What many people do not realize, however, is that this statement isn’t entirely accurate. Although it’s true that solar panels utilize sunlight rather than burning fossil fuels to generate power, solar energy is not a renewable resource.
The sun shines more on some areas than others and its light can be blocked by clouds or pollution in the air. And even when the sun shines, it’s impossible for panels to produce electricity at night. As such, most of our energy – including that generated through the use of solar power – comes from non-renewable sources.
Environmental issues
Large-scale solar power plants can be a threat to wildlife and plant life that exist in areas where they are built because these facilities often require large amounts of land to produce energy. These installations also emit heat-trapping gases, which contribute to climate change and global warming. These panels produce electricity by converting sunlight into usable energy- but they also create heat and light pollution.
The environmental impacts of solar energy can be explained from several different perspectives.
Wildlife and plant life
Wildlife and plant life in regions where large-scale installations are being built to produce power, as these facilities often require land and emit heat-trapping gases which contribute to climate change. These plants also use large amounts of water, which can be a problem in areas where there is not enough being naturally available to use.
Heat Pollution and other Eco-threats
Panels cause glare for drivers, reduce visibility on roads, and contribute to light pollution in general.
Changes Biodiversity
This land can be negatively impacted by solar development as it not only takes up space but also changes the biodiversity in an area when an ecosystem is disrupted.
The Biggest Challenges
while solar power is a renewable resource, not all of the impacts from building and operating large-scale solar facilities are positive for our environment or society in general. One challenge to overcome is how we deal with storing wasted energy when it’s produced but there is no need for it at that moment. The energy from these solar panels is currently stored using methods that are not benign to the environment.
The other major challenge is that while sunlight powers and generates electricity from a solar array during the day, at night we need to rely on more traditional power generation methods.
Also, sunlight powers and generates electricity from a solar array during the day, at night we need to rely on more traditional power generation methods.
More like it is that, so long as the sun’s up, you need to be connected to the grid and using enough of your solar power.
The Biggest Benefits of Solar Power
While there are challenges with large-scale implementations of solar power, many people believe it’s a viable renewable resource and worth harnessing as long as we continue to work on minimizing its negative impacts on our planet. One of the huge benefits is that solar power absorbs sunlight and converts it into electricity, so it’s a zero-emission form of energy generation, and it doesn’t matter how much electricity you use.
Manufacturing and installing a solar panel takes resources, but it only affects our environment for a short amount of time before they become net contributors to society by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from traditional power sources like coal or natural gas plants which produce toxic waste such as sulfur dioxide that causes acid rain, particulate matter in the air (a cause for respiratory disease), nitrous oxide causing ozone levels to rise high enough so we can see it with the naked eye at ground level – not good!
How is Solar Energy Renewable?
Solar energy can’t generate more than what’s coming in from sunlight; however, it is considered renewable because we have a never-ending supply of sun for us to harness its light. It doesn’t matter how much electricity you use, as long as there is sun and it is shining on your solar panels.
The Pros of Solar Energy
Solar energy has many pros that we are only now beginning to fully understand how important they really are. One of the best reasons for being pro-solar power is that this renewable resource doesn’t have any moving parts. Once the panels are in place, they’ll produce power for decades with only a little maintenance work now and again to make sure everything is working properly.
The Cons of Solar Energy
Solar energy has many cons that we are only now beginning to fully understand how important they really are. One of the worst things about solar power is the cost. The initial investment is high, and while it produces free energy for decades to come, there’s still a heavy price tag on that first purchase.
Conclusion
I think we’re only just beginning to realize how many benefits solar power has over fossil fuels and nuclear power plants in terms of both pro-environmental impacts as well as cost-effectiveness.
