Solar Energy

The reproduction of oxygen and food would be impossible without solar energy . Farmers know the value of a large field with a plentiful supply of sunlight . Farmers know the value of a large field with a plentiful supply of sunlight, and now individuals all around the world are taking this boundless source of diffuse energy more seriously as the finite supply of fossil fuels dwindle. Today less than 0.1% of our heating, transportation and power energy comes from direct sunlight although it is now possible to meet all our energy needs with this simple, renewable resource.

Solar Collectors transform short wavelengths into long wavelengths and trap this energy in the form of heat which is transferred and transported into a heat storage vault. Solar panels convert selected wavelengths of light into electricity.

• It will save you money on your electricity bill if you have one at all.
• It's not affected by the supply and demand of fuel and is therefore not subjected to the ever-increasing price of gasoline.
• After the initial investment has been recovered, the energy from the sun is practically FREE.
• The recovery/ payback period for this investment can be very short depending on how much electricity your household uses.
• If your system produces more energy than you use, your utility company can buy it from you, building up a credit on your account!

Solar power plants reduce the environmental impacts of combustion used in fossil fuel power generation such as green house gas and other air pollution emissions. However, concerns have been raised over land disturbance, visual impacts, and the use of potentially hazardous materials in some systems. These and other concerns associated with solar energy development are discussed below, and will be addressed in the Solar Energy Development Programmatic EIS.

• One of the main disadvantages is the initial cost of the equipment used to harness the suns energy. Solar energy technologies still remain a costly alternative to the use of readily available fossil fuel technologies. As the price of solar panels decreases, we are likely to see an increase in the use of solar cells to generate electricity.
• Pollution can be a disadvantage to solar panels, as pollution can degrade the efficiency of photovoltaic cells. Clouds also provide the same effect, as they can reduce the energy of the suns rays. This certain disadvantage is more of an issue with older solar components, as newer designs integrate technologies to overcome the worst of these effects.
• A solar energy installation requires a large area for the system to be efficient in providing a source of electricity. This may be a disadvantage in areas where space is short, or expensive (such as inner cities).