Technology

Solar Shenanigans! 7 Environmental Benefits of Solar Power

Climate emergency.

Those two words have lined the headlines and buzzed in our ears for months now.

People across the world are rallying together, demonstrating, protesting, and calling upon governments to respond to the unfolding environmental catastrophe.

Now more than ever, we need to find clean energy alternatives to reduce emissions.

The plethora of environmental benefits of solar power makes the sun one of our most promising solutions. This novel technology is expected to provide 27% of US electricity by 2050.

Harnessing this natural energy source via solar panels offers a host of advantages for everyone to enjoy.

Want to learn more about how we, and the world, stand to gain?

Keep reading to learn about the top advantages solar power offers our environment.

1. It’s Renewable

Traditional fuel sources are non renewable in nature.

If nothing changes with our current consumption habits, then they will run out. Our practices and way of life are entirely unsustainable.

Oil, natural gas and coal have all proved fruitful to drive economic and technological success. But we can sum the model of usage up as “take, take, take.” With a limited supply available, we deplete our stockpiles as we continue to use them.

That’s a scary prospect for an interconnected world that’s reliant on power.

The sun, by comparison, is wholly renewable. There’s no limit to how much you can use—it’s impossible to take too much! Harness the sun (via a solar generator, for example) and you have a constant supply of energy that can be used and stored forevermore.

2. It’s As Green as It Gets

The sun is clean and green by its very nature.

Solar power is renewable (as we just discussed), readily available, and creates no harmful by-products.

That ball of fire in the sky is responsible for all life on this earth. It makes intuitive sense that it could fuel the lives to which we’ve become accustomed.

That it can deliver everything we need by way of power makes it incredible we aren’t already using the sun to our advantage.

3. It Limits Fossil Fuel Reliance

As we noted before, fossil fuels have spearheaded the growth and prosperity of countries around the world.

We have them to thank for the current lives we live and love.

At the same time, we have them to blame for many of the environmental problems we’re now facing. From an environmental standpoint, there’s very little to like about fossil fuels.

Sourcing and using them both have seriously detrimental effects.

Huge amounts of effort and energy are used to get our hands on oil, coal, and gas; we scar the land in the process. Harnessing them produces significant amounts of waste and emissions. Almost everyone and everything suffers.

Something has to change.

We cannot continue to use them in the same way without wreaking further havoc on the world. Solar power represents a viable alternative, helping to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.

4. It Means Less Physical Damage

How do you get oil? Drilling.

How do you get coal? Digging.

How do you get gas? Fracking.

Acquiring each fossil fuel requires extreme invasive measures that effectively abuse the earth. Our land, forests, water systems, and wildlife all suffer because of our reliance on fossil fuels.

Much of the damage that’s caused is significant and irreparable; permanent scarring occurs.

But not with solar power.

Some land is required to house the solar panels and resources are needed to build them. Once that’s done, though, you have an endless supply of power and little further need to damage the earth.

5. It Cuts Air Pollution

Go down to your local industrial area, and what do you see?

Dozens of giant chimneys pouring toxic gas into the atmosphere.

Again, fossil fuels are not clean. They’re positively dirty, in fact, helping to pollute the air we breathe and contributing to a hose of physical ailments.

Not so with solar power.

Remember, using the sun as an energy source is clean and green. It releases no pollution in the process of power creation; it keeps emissions at an absolute zero.

6. It Creates Zero Harmful Waste

Nuclear power is often heralded as a clean energy source.

Countries such as France and England have invested heavily in nuclear power stations for their energy needs. And, fair enough, there are definite arguments to be made in favor of nuclear power versus traditional fossil fuels.

However, the waste involved in its production begs serious questions of its utility. Disposing of nuclear material is fraught with potential environmental problems.

Let’s not forget about the threat of nuclear explosions too. Recall the famous case of Chernobyl, and more recently in Japan, which proves the calamitous nature of nuclear mishaps.

Nuclear power may be clean throughout its use, but it only takes one hiccup to cause mass environmental damage. It puts everything it touches at risk, including our own health and well-being.

No harmful waste or risk of damage is present with solar power at the helm.

7. It Reduces Carbon Emissions

Carbon emissions are at the heart of the current environmental catastrophe.

In simple terms, we’re creating more carbon than our world can handle, which is heating it up in the process. Cutting our carbon emissions is a key component to turn global warming around.

Alas, so far we’re doing very little of the sort; carbon emissions remain at dangerous levels.

The carbon footprint of solar is essentially nil. As we’ve said, neither the sourcing nor harnessing of the sun requires energy use, which makes it a zero-carbon energy source.

Enjoy the Environmental Benefits of Solar Power

Our environmental problems have come to a head in recent years.

Never has there been a greater call for more climate-friendly systems and alternative energy sources. For some, bringing about such change is central to the survival of humans!

Hopefully, this article has demonstrated how the environmental benefits of solar power make it an essential tool in the fight against global warming.

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