Pros and Cons of Solar Energy


Advantages of Solar

- Energy from the sun is environmentally friendly. It’s clean, it doesn’t pollute.
Heating our homes with oil or natural gas or using electricity from power plants working with oil and coal, increase the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

- Solar systems can now work in almost any climate, though a good home's orientation and design is important. See Passive Solar Techniques. According to the US Environmental and Energy Study Institute, 40% of all U.S. homes can install solar water heaters even with nowadays technology.

- Residential solar panels require little maintenance, and the initial investment can be recovered within 3  to 8 years; Solar systems pay for themselves through savings on electricity or natural gas bills. After the payback period, the energy cost becomes approximately zero (the only costs are a periodical cheap maintenance). See: Payback period of solar power systems.

- Financial incentives (USA, Canada, European states…) can reduce the cost of the initial investment and installing. The U.S. government offers tax credits that may mount to 30 percent of the investment (maximum of $2,000) in the case of water heater systems (excluding swimming pools...), and the system must be certified by the SRCC (Solar Rating and Certification Corporation).

- Manufacturers are offering warranties of 20 years and more.

Disadvantages of Solar Energy

- The initial investment in Solar Water Heaters and, mainly, in Solar PV Electric Systems is higher than that required by conventional electric and gas heaters systems.

- The efficiency of the solar systems depends on the numbers of hours of solar light and on climate zones: they determine the number and wattage of the solar panels array you have to install and, consequently, the costs and recovering of the initial investment.



See also:
Basics of solar systems
Domestic Solar Hot Water Systems
Solar Electricity: Photovoltaic PV Systems
Pros and Cons of Solar Energy Panels
Costs and payback of Solar Energy
Solar Panels Technology
Quotes and the buying process
Market and Prices of Solar Hot Water Systems
Market and Prices of Solar PV Electricity
Manufacturers of Solar Power Systems
What to ask to installers and suppliers




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