Solar power – Energy that is most sustainable to protect our economy and environment:

Solar power – Energy that is most sustainable to protect our economy and environment:

Originally developed for energy requirement for orbiting earth satellite - Solar Power – have expanded in recent years for our domestic and industrial needs. Solar power is produced by collecting sunlight and converting it into electricity. This is done by using solar panels, which are large flat panels made up of many individual solar cells. It is most often used in remote locations, although it is becoming more popular in urban areas as well.

There is, indeed, enormous amount of advantages lies with use of solar power specially, in the context of environmental impact and self-reliance. However, a few disadvantages such as its initial cost and the effects of weather conditions, make us hesitant to proceed with full vigor. We discuss below the advantages and disadvantages of Solar Power:

Advantages -

(a) The major advantage of solar power is that no pollution is created in the process of generating electricity. Environmentally it the most Clean and Green energy. Solar Energy is clean, renewable (unlike gas, oil and coal) and sustainable, helping to protect our environment.

(b) Solar energy does not require any fuel.

(c) It does not pollute our air by releasing carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide or mercury into the atmosphere like many traditional forms of electrical generation does.

(d) Therefore Solar Energy does not contribute to global warming, acid rain or smog. It actively contributes to the decrease of harmful green house gas emissions.

(e) There is no on-going cost for the power it generates – as solar radiation is free everywhere. Once installed, there are no recurring costs.

(f) It can be flexibly applied to a variety of stationary or portable applications. Unlike most forms of electrical generation, the panels can be made small enough to fit pocket-size electronic devices, or sufficiently large to charge an automobile battery or supply electricity to entire buildings.

(g) It offers much more self-reliance than depending upon a power utility for all electricity.

(h) It is quite economical in long run. After the initial investment has been recovered, the energy from the sun is practically free. Solar Energy systems are virtually maintenance free and will last for decades.

(i) It's not affected by the supply and demand of fuel and is therefore not subjected to the ever-increasing price of fossil fuel.

(j) By not using any fuel, Solar Energy does not contribute to the cost and problems of the recovery and transportation of fuel or the storage of radioactive waste.

(k) It's generated where it is needed. Therefore, large scale transmission cost is minimized.

(l) Solar Energy can be utilized to offset utility-supplied energy consumption. It does not only reduce your electricity bill, but will also continue to supply your home/ business with electricity in the event of a power outage.

(m) A Solar Energy system can operate entirely independently, not requiring a connection to a power or gas grid at all. Systems can therefore be installed in remote locations, making it more practical and cost-effective than the supply of utility electricity to a new site.

(n) The use of solar energy indirectly reduces health costs.

(o) They operate silently, have no moving parts, do not release offensive smells and do not require you to add any fuel.

(p) More solar panels can easily be added in the future when your family's needs grow.

(q) Solar Energy supports local job and wealth creation, fuelling local economies.

Disadvantages –

(a) The initial cost is the main disadvantage of installing a solar energy system, largely because of the high cost of the semi-conducting materials used in building solar panels.

(b) The cost of solar energy is also high compared to non-renewable utility-supplied electricity. As energy shortages are becoming more common, solar energy is becoming more price-competitive.

(c) Solar panels require quite a large area for installation to achieve a good level of efficiency.

(d) The efficiency of the system also relies on the location of the sun, although this problem can be overcome with the installation of certain components.

(e) The production of solar energy is influenced by the presence of clouds or pollution in the air. Similarly, no solar energy will be produced during nighttime although a battery backup system and/or net metering will solve this problem.

(f) As far as solar powered cars go - their slower speed might not appeal to everyone caught up in today's fast track movement.

Conclusion - Solar power technology is improving consistently over time, as people begin to understand the benefits offered by this incredible technology. As our oil reserves decline, it is important for us to turn to alternative sources for energy. Therefore, it would be better that converting some of the world's energy requirements to solar power are in the best interest of the worldwide economy and the environment. Since we all are aware of the power of the sun and the benefits we could get from it.

Adoption of environment-friendly Green Technology in various fields is need-of-the-hour:

Adoption of environment-friendly Green Technology in various fields is need-of-the-hour:

Performance of green products is steadily improving, prices are going down, and tax breaks and subsidies are further helping erode financial barriers. The following list addresses environmental priorities in four broad consumer categories – (a) home, (b) car, (c) lifestyle, and the (d) future; identifying issues that consumers will face and ways they can help reduce the greenhouse gases they produce, minimize the depletion of natural resources, and produce and conserve energy more efficiently.

(a) Home –

1. Think solar panels. In many cases, solar can save you money in the long run. Solar panels also are getting more attractive.

2. Or think solar water. If you don't want to completely outfit your house with solar panels, you can deploy solar technology on an appliance-by-appliance basis.

3. Let the utility control your thermostat. These monitoring-and-control systems can indeed trim your use of peak power and lead to lower bills.

4. Move or remodel. If you're panning to buy a home, homes made from more eco-friendly materials should be given priority.

5. Switch to eco-friendly clothes and furniture.

6. Use green cleaning supplies. This is an important issue, but also one that's relatively easy to address.

(b) Car –

7. Buy a hybrid. Although the tax breaks on these cars can rise and fall, hybrids continue to get good reviews from customers, and the cars get quite a good fuel economy (about 60 miles a gallon).

8. Contemplate buying an electric car. Electric cars aren't perfect. Most barely can go more than 120 miles before needing a recharge and they cost more than their gas-powered equivalents, but advocates say both factors will improve.

9. Think diesel. Bio-diesel made from vegetable oil produces far less carbon dioxide than regular diesel. It can be put straight into conventional diesel cars.

(c) Lifestyle –

10. Swap the lightbulbs. Only about 5 percent of the energy that goes into incandescent lightbulbs turns into light. The rest turns into heat. Fluorescent-bulb manufacturers and light-emitting diode (LED) bulb makers say their products can produce as much light with far less energy.

11. Go organic in the garden. Traditional fertilizers and pesticides are made out of petroleum products and are being phased out by legislation due to concerns that they're causing health problems. Many companies have devised bio-pesticides, which kill fungi and other material with bacteria that's not harmful to humans.

12. Cut down on vampire-power gadgets. PCs, DVD players, televisions (especially some flat-panel models), and other devices can consume a lot of power, even in sleep mode, so unplug when you can.

13. Look for the green products and services such as dry cleaners or personal computer etc.

14. Buy carbon offsets. These arrangements are designed to allow individuals and organizations to reduce emissions directly or by participating in programs that, through various energy-conservation techniques and emissions-trading initiatives, attempt to achieve a net reduction in greenhouse gases.

(d) The future - Not everything will be easy when it comes to alternative energy. Here's a quick list of some other emerging technologies and issues that will likely become more prominent in the future.

15. Consider clean coal. Lung disease, mining accidents, environmental poisoning, these are just some of the associations mankind have with coal. Coal may never be as clean as solar power, but advocates point out the infrastructure already exists to adopt cleaner coal. In any event, phasing out coal will take years, so cleaner coal-burning technologies may as well be adopted.

16. Second and third thoughts on genetically modified (GM) crops. Corn, soy, sugar and other crops that now get converted to ethanol or bio-diesel have one thing in common: they were originally bred for food. To boost fuel production, these crops will likely need to be genetically enhanced.

17. Give up some open space for solar power and wind power. Providing solar power on a broad scale will require dedicating lots of land to power generation. Similarly, wind power often means placing large fields of turbines in the ocean.

18. Going for nuclear power generation in a big way. The nuclear issue is back on the table and will be one of many topics that governments of most of the nations will address when it comes to energy security.

19. Recycled water on tap. Water shortages will likely be the first major impact humans feel when it comes to global warming. China, Australia, and India already face significant challenges. To alleviate the problem, several countries are increasing investments in desalination technologies and purification systems for turning sewage water into drinking water.

20. High taxes. Developing green technologies and getting them into the market will require billions of dollars in grants, subsidies, and tax cuts that will often go to green-tech companies. Clean energy might require direct subsidies, but health care costs and the need for often-costly toxic-waste cleanups will decline.