Environmental Benefits From Going Solar
Learn about the different environmental advantages of using solar power.
As most people know solar Panels use Photovoltaic (PV) cells to convert sunlight into electricity. But did you know that according to The Solar Foundation “From January to June 2020, solar energy avoided more than 96 million metric tons of CO2 emissions.” Once solar panels are in place, they become the cleanest way for energy to be generated. As long as the sun is shining, we will have access to its energy through solar panels.
One way that solar power directly benefits the environment is through conservation of habitat. Because solar power does not rely on the drilling of oil or mining of coal. Ecosystems can stay balanced and undisturbed. Solar panels are also often placed on rooftops, or solar farms which stand up high above the land. With no need for invasive drilling or mining.
Traditional electricity production methods also pollute the environment in several ways. Burning of fossil fuels can contribute to air pollution which can contribute to the greenhouse effect, acid rain, and even climate change. Nuclear power has the possibility of contaminating our waters, poison our lands. And even leave us with radioactive waste to manage for years to come. Additionally, a nuclear disaster can decimate an environment for miles and miles contributing to the loss of life and more.
According to Evergy.gov “Compared with fossil fuel generators, PV produces far lower lifecycle levels of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and harmful pollutants including fine particular matter (PM2.5), sulfur dioxide (SO2), and nitrogen oxides (NOx).”
With the growing popularity of Electric Vehicles (EVs) we begin to see an amplification to these benefits. As we are not only reducing the emissions created in the production of energy. We are now reducing the emissions that thousands of internal combustion engines are putting out into the air every year. Charging your EV with electricity produced from your home solar panels or a local solar farm means charging your clean power vehicle with cleanly produced energy! This also benefits the consumer especially during times of volatile gas and oil prices and availably.
To sum it all up, solar energy production has many benefits to the Environment around us, from reducing pollutants to saving habitats, and even saving you money in the process.
