Photovoltaic Technology Impacts on Environment Essay

The creation of solar energy requires little maintenance and solar electricity power plants produce zero emissions. Solar power plants use two different types of technologies: Concentrated solar power and Photovoltaic systems. Concentrated solar power plants, also known as “concentrated solar thermal”, uses solar thermal energy to make steam that is converted into electricity by a turbine. A photovoltaic system, also known as solar panels, generates electricity from sunlight. It is a device that converts light energy into electrical energy.

installing solar panels are changing tastes and preferences of consumer. As Energy Sage (n.d.) stated,

Some may argue that solar panels pollute the earth when they are disposed of. While that may be correct it is minuscule compared to pollutants that gas, oil, and coal emit into the atmosphere. Burning coal, for

Currently solar power is beginning to expand horizontally throughout communities. This growth is creating a demand that is beginning to reduce the expense of purchasing and installing solar panels. The concept is catching on and the technology is improving as the demand increases.

A solar photovoltaic power system is a technology that converts the energy from sunlight into electrical energy. Residential solar photovoltaic systems can offset much of a household's power needs, depending on the size of the system and the household's needs. The output power from is directly proportional to power received from the sun, which varies throughout the day and year. The rated maximum output of the module might be achieved only occasionally, depending on actual site conditions. It is a renewable source of energy that is sustainable and totally inexhaustible. Solar energy is also a non-polluting source of energy that doesn’t emit any greenhouse gases when producing electricity.

Solar panels are manufactured using NF3, or Nitrogen Triflouride, which is, according to UC Irvine researchers, “is one of the most potent greenhouse gases known and persists in the atmosphere for 550 years.” All this to say that just because solar panels may look attractive, modern, and seem to have a small carbon “footprint,” it is not always the case. There is much more than what meets the eye; it comes with strings attached such as the loss of hundred of species of birds and insects as well as emitting a chemical that has 17,000 times stronger global warming potential than carbon dioxide. A major rift in the food chain as well as a much stronger chemical emitted into the air more problematic that dirty coal, because both create the ripple effect which creates problems down the line.

The sun is the source of all life on Earth. In just one hour the sunlight hitting the earth’s surface provides enough energy to power the global economy for a full year (Brown, 2015). The sun will continue to burn for billions of years, making it an unquestionably reliable source for renewable energy. Modern-day photovoltaic (PV) solar cells rely on the photoelectric effect, a phenomenon where light is used to free electrons from a solid surface - usually silicon - to create electricity. PV panels are typically installed on homes and buildings, or in ground arrangements, sometimes called solar farms.

Recently, the price of unrenewable energy resource such as oil, coral and natural gas is increasing by time because of rare and more and more usage for individual and industries. Solar panels which use energy from Sun are considered as renewable energy through the form of solar radiation, UV. Solar technologies are broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on the way they

In order for one to further understand the importance of solar energy, the problem of global warming must be explained. As defined by Webster’s Dictionary, “Global Warming” is an increase in the earth’s average atmospheric temperature that causes corresponding changes in climate and that may result from the greenhouse effect. With an average increase in atmospheric temperatures, our planet is slowly deteriorating. In order to stall or halt this global destruction, countries must turn to solar energy as a cleaner alternative to the depletion of fossil fuels. Solar energy creates a homeostasis for the climate. Due to its ability to decrease global climate changes, solar power can address global warming in several ways.

Solar energy and its use isn’t new to the world. It has been used by various societies beginning from 7thCentury B.C, when the sun’s heat was concentrated by glass and mirrors to light fires. Today, we have everything from solar-powered buildings to solar-powered vehicles. By and large solar technology has some environmental, economic, psychological and ethical implications for our society. Actions taken by companies and individuals to increase the use of solar technology will create good local jobs, improve our environment and reduce our dependence on foreign oil while doing what’s ethical and moral for our society.

This illumination may give direction to sustainable development in the area of safe energy or rather alternative energy to hydro energy, such as, the formulation of other questions or a different way of responding to sustainable energy. The results from this study can provide information for future interventions and policies, generate further research questions and enhance theory development and solar energy

However, the photovoltaic efficiency and production costs has not reached up to the highest level because of the cost related issues and this technology is not able to replace the conventional sources of energy such as coal, gas and nuclear powered generating facilities. Photovoltaic power is used in remote applications such as communications, villages and homes in many developing countries. In many areas the rooftop installation of solar panels is smaller but it is rapidly increasing at a great pace. As the industrial sciences narrow down the cost gap, more applications are increasing and the use of photovoltaic panel has increased.

While the majority of the world power supply by fossil fuels, such as oil, coal and natural gas, these traditional energy now are facing a number of challenges including the pollutions, rising prices and the limitation of fuel supplies. As a result of these challenges, the alternative renewable power source has been chosen. The reason why solar power becomes a trendy source is that the solar power not only renewable but also has technology development in the future. However, it still has several problems to use this energy generally. This essay will show the limitations of using the solar power system, which including weather dependent, space requirement and the high cost. These drawbacks can be minimized in three ways: Firstly, by using the new innovation which can reduce the effect of weather changing. Secondly, by using the PV system to reduce the space required. Finally, people can apply for the government scheme to release the financial pressures from installing domestic solar systems.

Solar energy may define as the energy received by the earth from the sun. This solar energy is in the form of solar radiation. With the help of solar cells, solar radiation can convert into electricity. Sun is a highly powerful energy source, humans and natures are directly depending on the sun. For example in hydro-electricity the solar energy needed for the evaporation of water after that it returns to earth as rain and provides water in dams. In biomass, the solar energy used that process. Solar cells directly converted solar radiation into electricity, during the process time there is no noise or pollution are there. These cells made with some semiconducting materials. If use solar cells in our home it will help to reduce the greenhouse gas emission, minimise the percentage of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere and mainly reduce the necessity of fossil fuels and natural gas use to produce electricity. According to the Ben Sorensen, solar energy is one of a good source of substitute energy, for the reason that it is renewable, economical and does not pollute our environment. Thus, this essay will be divided into three parts. Firstly, we will talk about fossil fuels and its demerits. Secondly, we will look at the issues and implications of solar energy. Finally, we will focus on the advantageous and disadvantageous of solar energy respectively.

Abstract: The current energy situation with fossil fuels as the main source of the world’s energy has two main flaws: fossil fuels contribute to global warming via the greenhouse effect and they are limited in the quantity that remains. Solar power solves both of these problems and can be captured by utilizing photovoltaic cells. However, photovoltaic cells have their own drawbacks due to their high costs of installation and maintenance.