By Guest Blog | October 18, 2024
There’s a significant transformation ongoing in the energy sector. While many innovations are in play, solar is undoubtedly at the forefront. This source of power was still niche a few years ago. However, it’s now a major force driving several industries. It’s easy to see why and how solar is changing things in the energy industry. The option is perfect for clean and renewable power, making it suitable for pretty much any application. We’ll discuss more about the effectiveness of solar power in energy in this post.
The Rise of Solar Energy
At the moment, solar power may look like something that was introduced in the past few decades. But that’s not the case since the concept of getting energy from the sun isn’t new. The energy was first discovered in 1839 in France by Edmond Becquerel. By 1888, the first true solar cell was patented in Russia. All the same, it wasn’t until the latter half of the 20th century that solar began to emerge as a viable energy source.
We must clarify that early photovoltaic (PV) technology was expensive and inefficient. For this reason, its use was limited and not widespread. Things changed with breakthroughs in solar cell efficiency alongside mass production. That’s why the cost of solar panels has notably decreased.
As confirmed by Our World in Data, the cost of solar energy has dropped by over 80% since 2010. This decline has led to a surge in adoption. Besides the lower costs, growing concerns about climate change have also made solar more popular.
The goal is for solar power to not only be competitive with traditional energy sources but also cheaper. That way, it’ll be attractive for both large-scale producers and homeowners.
5 Solid Benefits of Solar Power
If it had no major advantage, solar won’t be as popular as it is right now. But the reverse is the case. With solar energy, there’s a lot of benefits, and we’ve listed the top five below:
- Renewable and abundant. Of course, the sun provides an almost limitless supply of energy. This is unlike fossil fuels, which are finite. Basically, solar energy is renewable and can be used anywhere the sun shines — which is pretty much everywhere. It’s easy to see why solar energy is sustainable in the long term.
- Reduced carbon footprint. With energy from the sun, there’s zero greenhouse gas emissions. That’s why you’ll always hear that solar is one of the cleanest power sources available. If we can completely replace fossil fuel-based power plants with solar farms, there will be fewer carbon footprints around the world. There are not many better ways than this to combat global warming.
- Cost-effective. Thanks to declining expenses, solar is now one of the most affordable sources of electricity. You can save significantly on bills when you install panels that capture energy from the sun. It’s a one-time thing, after which you only have to deal with maintenance.
- Energy independence. For a fact, many countries rely on others to get electricity. This can be easily solved with solar since the sun shines everywhere. Using this option, both individuals and nations will become less reliant on imported energy since they can generate it on their own. It’ll lead to energy security in the long run. Notably, the same can be said for businesses. There are big corporations like gambling establishments that operate heavy servers that need 24/7 power. A good example is the Spin City casino, a platform with hundreds of users. Solar being active round the clock can make sure the gaming software is always online. That way, players can always log in to play their favorite titles.
- Job creation. The solar industry has become a major source of employment worldwide. Workers are needed to manufacture, install, and maintain the panels, but that’s only one part of it. There’s also a need for research and more innovations on how solar can improve. As such, the energy source is creating jobs across many sectors.
A Look at Solar Power in Action
The adoption of solar power is not limited to residential rooftops. Instead, this energy is being used in several innovative ways, both on a small and large scale, to revolutionize energy production. Here are some notable mentions:
- Utility-scale solar farms. Large solar power plants are being built worldwide to supply electricity to national grids. These can feature thousands of solar panels that generate enough power to meet the needs of entire cities. Some examples are the Bhadla Solar Park in India and the Tengger Desert Solar Park in China.
- Solar-powered homes and buildings. More homeowners and businesses are installing rooftop solar panels to create their own power. In some cases, these systems even produce more electricity than is needed. The excess power is then sold back to the grid — this process is known as net metering.
- Solar energy in remote areas. We can’t underestimate the value of solar in rural or remote areas. Typically, these places have limited access to the traditional power grid. It’s even non-existent in certain remote regions. But with solar microgrids, they can have quick electricity for crucial needs.
- Floating solar. To maximize space, floating solar farms are being developed on bodies of water like reservoirs and lakes. These installations reduce land usage while taking advantage of the cooling effects of the water. Consequently, they can improve the efficiency of the panels.
Overcoming Challenges
As we’ve explained, solar power holds immense potential. But there are still challenges that need to be addressed if it’ll ultimately achieve success. These include:
- Intermittency. Solar power depends on sunlight, so it doesn’t produce energy at night or during cloudy weather. This presents a problem for consistent and reliable power supply. Thankfully, energy storage solutions, such as batteries, can help overcome this limitation. The only thing is that they’re still expensive.
- Land use. Large-scale solar farms require significant amounts of land. When unavailable, it can lead to conflicts with agricultural or natural areas. This is where innovations like floating can come in to make things better.
- Initial costs. The long-term savings from solar power are significant, but the initial investment can be massive. It’s the main barrier for some individuals and businesses, but financing options will help lessen the upfront costs.
- Energy storage. Storing excess energy for later use is crucial to ensuring solar power can meet demands at all times. As mentioned already, batteries will help, but they’re pretty expensive.
How Will Solar Power Be Used in the Coming Years?
Without mixing words, the future of solar power looks bright. The technology is advancing, so we can expect better efficiency and lower costs. In addition, energy storage solutions are rapidly improving. More affordable and efficient batteries will allow solar power to be stored and used when the sun isn’t shining. Of course, that’ll solve one of the key limitations.
Governments worldwide are also playing a crucial role in the growth of solar power. Many countries have renewable energy targets and are offering incentives and subsidies to encourage the adoption of solar energy. Therefore, there are likely to be more policies that will support the transition to clean energy. When that happens, solar power will become an even more dominant force in the energy market.
