Advantages And Disadvantages Of Solar Energy Are you thinking of switching to solar power to provide electricity for your home? A solar energy system consists of several components: solar panels, storage batteries, power inverter and charge controller. The last component is needed in order to keep the batteries fully charged and prevent them from getting damaged. Before you completely cut off your ties with the electric power company and have those wires removed, carefully consider the pros and cons of using solar energy. Switching to solar energy may sound like an environmentally responsible decision and a great opportunity to stop getting those electric bills each month. However, there are other things that can make solar energy an unattractive option. One of the disadvantages of relying completely on solar energy to supply power to your house is the initial installation cost. For every 1,000 kilowatts of power that a solar energy system can generate, you will need to spend at least $10,000 initially. You may no longer have to pay the electric company every month, but it may take you a long time to recoup your investment. In addition, there is the possibility that the solar energy system you install will fail, in which case, you'll have no source of power at all. The prices of photovoltaic cells continue to fall, which means the initial cost of installation could go lower. However, you will need to consider how long it will take you to recover your initial cost of installation. Keep in mind that most components of a solar energy system has a life expectancy of about 5 years, so if you spend $10,000 to get a solar energy system set up, you are looking at an average annual cost of approximately $2,000. Advocates of fossil fuel conservation will find that using solar energy has environmental benefits. For instance, the average individual uses less than 900 kilowatts of power each month. To generate this much power requires approximately burning 170 pounds of coal. As a result, each person contributes about 300 pounds of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere each year. With the right size solar panel array coupled with ample battery backup, solar energy can provide you with all your power needs 24 hours a day. Solar energy has proven beneficial to people who live in remote areas or who have no power grid access. Keep in mind, though, that the solar batteries may run low and leave you without power if the weather is bad for extended periods.

Solar Energy Fact #2 Something that keeps a lot of people from deciding to take the plunge into solar energy is the mistaken idea that solar energy is in some manner a lower quality energy than electricity produced from fossil fuels. In actuality, solar energy's emissions free conversion to electricity makes it an even more beneficial energy source as far as the environment is concerned.

Solar Energy Fact #3 Do you know which country utilizes solar energy to the highest degree? Despite its Northern location far from the equator and its comparatively small population, Germany presently employs more solar energy than any other country. This should dispel any of the misconceptions about solar energy not being a credible energy solution in northern climates.