Solar Energy : Benefits & Advantages

The spike in energy costs has led us to find alternatives for fuel sources that are sustainable. There are many options available today including hydro, wind, and solar power. Solar energy is the one which is fastest-growing one, and almost everyone is learning to capture its power for performing daily tasks like heating, cooking; lighting, and many other household chores. Two of the key purposes for which many invest in harnessing the sun are to get the energy to generate electricity and for heating water in homes.

Solar energy in simple words is the energy we derive from the sun. The energy can be used directly to light homes and for heat or it can be converted into electricity using solar energy technologies by the use of solar panels. People are investing in solar energy to save their money and get rid of dangerous and expensive power lines. 

Solar energy provides a steady source of solar power throughout the year. As non-renewable resources are on the verge of extinction, we need to move towards renewable sources of energy like wind, hydropower, biomass, and tidal. The main benefit of solar energy is that it can be easily deployed by both business and home users as it does not require any huge setup like in the case of wind or geothermal power.

Solar energy not only benefits individual owners but benefits the environment as well. Following are some advantages of solar energy over traditional energy sources like oil and coal-

1. Solar energy is a renewable source of energy as it can produce electricity as long as the sun exists and can also store energy. Sunshine occurs naturally and is available for all of us.
2. Solar energy is eco-friendly and non-polluting. It does not release harmful gases and pollutes the air. Thus, it reduces the risk of the environment getting damaged. It also does not require any fuel to produce electricity and thus avoids the storage of radioactive waste.
3. Solar energy cuts back on electricity bills and will minimize the annoying utility bills.
4. Solar energy requires less maintenance and is easy to install. It does not require any cords, wires, or power sources.
5. It can be easily used in remote locations where running power lines would be difficult to reach or are costly.

Thus, it can be said that solar energy can be considered the best alternative to traditional energy sources.