Most of the time, homeowners list two reasons for their desire to switch to solar energy. One is financial, and the other is environmental.
While the financial advantages are covered quite a lot, the other factor often doesn’t get the same amount of attention. In the sections that follow, we will rectify that and answer our question of the day: what are the environmental benefits of solar energy?
1. It is a Source of Renewable Energy
Soar power is a type of renewable energy. As such, it is natural and gets replenished at a much higher rate than it is consumed. Aside from solar energy, wind is another great example of a renewable energy source.
In other words, there is an infinite reservoir of solar power that people can tap into. More importantly, consuming the said energy comes at little to no cost to the environment. At the moment, with the climate crisis at its peak, this fact is more important than ever.
2. Solar Energy Causes No Gas Emissions
The electricity most of the people on the planet get from utility companies comes from burning fossil fuels (coal or natural gas). As they are burned, CO2 and other harmful gasses are released into the atmosphere. Not to mention, simply extracting these fuels costs a fortune and is extremely harmful to the planet.
Greenhouse gases and CO2 are harmful because they aid global warming. Namely, they dramatically increase the temperature of the air, leading to different catastrophes ranging from wildfires to hurricanes. Just in the last few decades, the global temperature average of the planet and the oceans has increased by 1 degree Celsius. At the moment, it seems like this trend will only continue.
On the other hand, generating electricity via solar energy causes no gas emissions. This makes sense, as electricity comes from the sun instead of fossil fuels. Thus, if more people go solar, they will decrease their carbon footprint. In addition, they will lessen the demand for fossil fuels, which is a great step toward a greener planet.
To put things into perspective, we will give you an example. Let’s say that an average American home spends about 8,288 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity every year. If this family switches to solar energy, their carbon footprint reduction rate would be on par with planting 150 trees every single year. And since an average solar system lasts for about 25 years, you can see just how big of a difference this can make.
3. Solar Power Can Help Clean Our Air
At the moment, the air in most urban areas of the planet is heavily polluted. The pollutants come from vehicles, factories, and, of course, the electricity used to power everything else.
According to the WHO, extracting fossil fuels and burning them pollutes the air with CO2, nitrous oxides, and sulfur dioxide, among others. These substances are extremely harmful to all living beings on the planet, and they can cause conditions ranging from allergies to cancer.
Since using solar power causes no such gas emissions, it is also a great solution for making the air cleaner and healthier for everyone. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), solar panels can significantly reduce the percentage of pollutants in the air. That can, in turn, help reduce the possibility of respiratory diseases for both humans and animals.
To Sum Up
Switching to solar energy is an excellent move that benefits both homeowners and the environment. It leads to a lower need for fossil fuels, less greenhouse gas emissions, and cleaner air. In other words, it makes the planet a better place for everyone, from humans to animals and plants.
Now that you know just how beneficial going solar can be, give us a call. Let’s work together to put an end to climate change one solar system at a time!
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