If you are thinking about buying solar for your home and wondered about the environmental benefits of solar panels, then you have come to the right place.
In this article, we’ll discuss some of the main benefits and advantages that solar panels have for the environment.
We’ll also cover how installing solar can benefit you as an individual and help you to save money on your energy bills.
Contents
A Renewable Resource
Solar energy is a completely renewable resource, meaning that it can never be used up or depleted.
Solar panels rely on sunlight to generate electricity, and as long as the sun continues to shine, solar panels will continue to produce electricity.
This is in contrast to fossil fuels such as coal and oil, which are non-renewable resources that will eventually run out.
Burning fossil fuels releases harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, causing climate change and global warming.
Solar panels don’t release any emissions when generating electricity, making them a much cleaner alternative to fossil fuels.
Macro and Environmental Benefits
There are several macro and environmental benefits that come from using solar panels.
Let’s take a look at some of the most important ones.
Solar Power is Good for the Economy
As we transition away from fossil fuels, jobs that are lost will be replaced with new green jobs in the solar industry.
The solar industry is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world, and it is projected to continue to grow in the coming years.
This growth will lead to the creation of new jobs in installation, manufacturing, and sales, as well as other related fields.
In addition to providing new jobs, the solar industry also provides a boost to the economy through tax revenue.
Solar Panels Reduce Dependence On The National Grid
This may not seem like a big problem, but it is.
The national grid is a network of power lines that distributes electricity around the country.
At certain times of the day or week, the grid can become overloaded, and this can lead to blackouts.
If everyone had solar panels installed on their homes, this would help to reduce the strain on the national grid and make it less likely that blackouts would occur.
Solar Energy is Sustainable
Sustainable energy is a form of energy that can be used without causing harm to future generations’ energy requirements or the environment.
This is in contrast to fossil fuels, which are not sustainable because they cause pollution and will eventually run out.
Solar panels help combat climate change
Climate change is one of the most pressing issues facing the world today.
Burning fossil fuels releases harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, causing the Earth’s average temperature to rise.
This rise in temperature can lead to extreme weather events such as floods, droughts, and hurricanes, as well as long-term effects such as rising sea levels and melting polar caps.
For every less ton of coal that is burned, solar panels help reduce the number of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere.
This makes solar panels an important tool in the fight against climate change.
Solar Reduces Water Pollution
Wait, what?
Yes, you read right, but it’s not what you think 🙂
Even though water is used in the manufacturing of solar panels. There’s far less water used than in the production of other energy sources which need water for cooling purposes.
It can be used on under-utilized land
Now, this point is seriously underappreciated.
You can actually place solar panels on lower-quality land that can’t be used for other purposes. This is great news as it means we don’t have to build on greenfield sites that are valuable for animal habitats, nature, etc.
Improves air quality
Solar panels also help to improve air quality as they don’t emit pollutants or release particulate matter into the atmosphere when generating electricity.
These dangerous pollutants are known to cause respiratory problems, and so reducing them would lead to better air quality and improved health for people living in areas with high levels of pollution.
The Benefits For You Personally
OK, so we’ve talked about the macro and environmental benefits of solar panels, but what about the benefits for you personally?
Solar Increases Property Value
By having a clean, green energy source like solar panels installed on your property, you are increasing its value.
A study by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that homes with solar panels sold for an average of 4.1% more than homes without them.
This is because solar panels are seen as a valuable addition to a property, and they make it more attractive to potential buyers.
Solar Saves You Money
One of the best things about solar panels is that they can save you money on your energy bills.
How? Well, once you’ve installed solar panels, you’ll be generating your own electricity. This means that you’ll be using less electricity from the grid, and your bills will go down as a result.
In fact, the average household can save around £100 to £270 a year by switching to solar.
Reduces your carbon footprint
If reducing your carbon footprint is important to you, then solar panels are a great way to do it.
As we mentioned earlier, solar panels help combat climate change by reducing the number of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere.
So, if you’re looking for a way to reduce your impact on the environment, solar panels are the best option.
Solar Provides Accessible Electricity to Off-Grid Users
Now, to be clear, if you live in a country that has very little sun, the likelihood of you being able to rely on solar energy exclusively isn’t very realistic.
What it does do is supplement the electricity you are getting from the grid, and in some cases, provide accessible electricity to off-grid users.
This is especially important in developing countries where access to the grid is limited. Solar panels can provide a much-needed source of energy for these communities.
Qualifies for tax breaks and cash incentives
The ECO4 (Energy Company Obligation Scheme) is a UK government scheme that provides cash incentives to households who install solar panels.
The scheme is designed to help reduce emissions and tackle fuel poverty, and it’s available to both homeowners and tenants.
You can store energy in a battery
Not only can you use the energy or supply it to the grid, you can also store it in batteries for use at a later time. This is especially useful if you have an electric car as you can charge the battery using solar power.
This means that you could potentially run your car partly on solar power, which would really lower your carbon footprint.
In Summary
So there you have it.
If you wondered whether you would be helping to transition the world to a cleaner future by using solar panels, the answer is yes.
But not only that, but you would also be saving money and reducing your impact on the environment.
All in all, it seems like a pretty good deal!