Advantages and Disadvantages of Solar Energy
Definition of solar energy?
Solar energy is a type of renewable energy which is extracted by the light of sun by various modes of existing technologies like Solar cells, Photosynthesis, Photovoltaic and solar power plants. It is an important source of energy. The two techniques that are Active Solar and Passive Solar are used for the extraction of the energy from the sunlight. Over the time Solar Energy has proved to be an efficient and a clean source of energy.
Advantages of Solar Energy
- Efficient & Effective- As we know that the solar energy is renewable so it is very efficient in terms of fulfilling the needs of people in terms of energy and along with that it is environment friendly as well. Solar energy will be accessible as long as we have the existence of the sun.
- Wide Application- Solar energy has a wide usage in various sectors. We can use it to generate electricity, cooking, water heating, water treatment i.e. solar distillation, transport etc. Solar energy also has its wide application in agriculture and horticulture.
- Low cost of Maintenance- Solar panels generally do not require much cost in the maintenance. After the installation they are very reliable and more solar panels can be added as per the requirements.
- Ease of Installation- Another interesting thing to know is that the solar panels do not require any wire or cords to be connected. They can be easily installed in any remote area and can be used to produce energy.
Disadvantages of Solar Energy
- Reliability- One of the major disadvantage of solar energy is that it can only be available during the day time in presence of sunlight. Environmental factors also effects a lot to the solar energy systems.
- High Initial Cost- The purchasing and installation cost of the solar panels are very high which makes a person think about to start with the process. As new technologies emerge, the cost of solar panels is likely to decrease.
- Location- As the solar energy requires the sunlight so it is very essential to be careful while choosing the location for setting up the solar panels. It reduces its effectiveness in the places where it remains cloudy for most of the time.