Is Solar Really Green?

We all know that solar energy is becoming more affordable and that making the switch can reduce or even eliminate your electric bill. However, what many people do not realize is that solar energy is beneficial for the environment in several ways.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Global climate change is a serious problem that is already beginning to have a significant and expensive impact on human lives. Superstorms are destroying entire areas and causing tremendous chaos, with impacts that are reaching beyond third world areas that have traditionally been extremely vulnerable to severe weather. In the past few years, devastating hurricanes have caused billions in property damages. Even though producing solar panels may consume some greenhouse gases, solar energy is emissions-free, making solar much better in terms of greenhouse gas emissions than traditional fossil fuel energy sources.

Uses Less Water

While people often think about air quality when considering the environmental impact of energy sources, water quality is equally important. The world’s supply of freshwater is limited, and it is only going to get more limited as icecaps melt. Once manufactured, solar panels need no water to function.

Renewable

There are two problems with the fact that fossil fuels are non-renewable. The first problem, from a purely human perspective, is that they are going to be depleted. While recent discoveries of fossil fuel reserves and advanced mining technologies have made previously inaccessible sources of fossil fuels available for human consumption, the fact remains that they are a finite resource. Additionally, accessing the resources causes harm to the environment. Fracking may contribute to earthquakes, pipelines can spill, and we all know the devastating environmental impacts of oil spills in the ocean. Neither issue is present with solar energy as its renewable nature means an abundant supply with no negative impact to collect the energy.

Price

While something being cost effective may not seem like a green feature, it is. There are many parts of the world that are not yet industrialized and may only have limited access to electricity. Because solar is now cheaper to produce than coal and some other types of fossil fuel energy sources, it is more likely to expand into developing areas, increasing the green benefits of this technology.

Going solar is a win-win scenario for homeowners. You do something positive for the environment, while also making a choice that can save you money for years to come. Take advantage of these benefits now, before residential tax credits expire, and you can save more than 25% on the cost of a solar system.