Potential Issues Associated with Utility Scale Solar Energy Generation Facilities

Canadian Solar, founded by Dr. Shawn Qu is an icon in the global solar energy company well-known for producing solar products such as solar panels, string inverters, off-grid applications and PV Energy Storage. Headquartered in Guelph, Ontario this Canadian company has projects, assets and relations on every continent of the world except...Antarctica. While having a hefty annual revenue the company is also socially and environmentally active. The Canadian company is trying to help raise awareness regarding the horrible effects of kerosene on human health by providing solar lamps to impoverished families in Africa to prevent these horrible health conditions and environmental effects from increasing. Moreover, Canadian Solar is providing solar

The 2003 Northeast Blackout was a two-day nightmare that spanned from New York to Canada. This incredible event was not due to a storm, but computer and human error; affecting over fifty million people with estimated losses up to ten billion dollars and 11 deaths (Walsh, 2013)! A loss of power turns inconvenience into a life-changing event when food in the refrigerator spoils, public transportation is useless, gas pumps are inoperable, and dark streets increase fear and anxiety. Even though power outages are a fact of life, few economies are equipped or prepared to provide their own power. The current appetite for electricity is pushing decaying electronic grids and antiquated software to limits with no sign of waning (Halsey, 2012). As the demand to produce more power grows, this increases the amount of pollution as well as disasters-massive power outages and catastrophic oil spills. The inefficient methods of fossil fuel production coupled with increased power demands are polluting the air, land, and water; creating unhealthy economies and ecosystems. Harnessing renewable alternative energy from nature is a smarter, dependable, and generous source of power that is non-polluting and will be available when current power sources are unavailable. Solar power is a healthier alternative power choice that supports fluctuating ecosystems, promotes healthy economic

Ed Welsh and Bo Haeberle discovered an idea of the solar feeder. After years of developing, the product became very successful. It even won several prizes like the best new product in the Bird Watch America trade show, the national birding convention. After this, Ed and Bo decided to sell their final product under new established company Squirrel Defense, Inc. They opened a small shop in Greensboro and begin the production of the solar feeder so they could take orders for the demanded product. Owners spent too much money and time on developing the product and now, their expectations are high because they have an advantage of unique product and even the investors showed interest in the company.

Not only was the development project a victory for the mitigation of climate change, the project successfully maintained the natural beauty of the Mojave Desert. That being said, with a solar project of this size, there was bound to be minor unavoidable issues. It is absolutely impossible to completely prevent all ecological alterations with the development of a solar farm in an area similar to the Mojave Desert. In the grand scheme of things, society must be willing to undertake minor ecological risks to combat climate change. The cost-benefit analysis would reveal that the overall benefits of renewable energy outweigh the potential risks associated with the implementation of the technology. Moving forward, the implementers of renewable energy and environmental organizations must be willing to work together to create the most environmentally viable solutions. Mitigating climate change will arrive at a halt if either side refuses to arrive at an acceptable medium. Additionally, transparency from all parties involved would generate a much more pleasant

Our number one goal is to combat climate change by reducing the amount of greenhouse gases that are being emitted into the atmosphere. Therefore, industrialized countries such as the United States, are trying to make energy systems to be less carbon intensive (Hunold 2011). One method to address the issue presented is by harvesting solar power. California has developed a large scale solar farm plan to install solar in the Mojave Desert; this plan is known as the Solar Grand Plan (Hunold 2011). Based on this plan, solar farms are to be built in scarcely populated areas in the desert. Obstacles arise when these panels are being mounted in areas that have species that under the National Wildlife Federation are considered endangered.

First, Solar energy is such an environmentally friendly source of energy. Unlike Fossil fuels, it's a renewable. Typical electricity is generated from fossil fuel that will run out one day. Solar energy is a good substitute to replace fossil fuel as the key energy source reason because is solar power is renewable at completely no cost to provide energy infinitely. That’s why it is a great renewable energy source. Using solar powered energy, you will be replacing the power you are using, which discharges carbon gas emissions, with fresh, reusable solar power. You will, be decreasing your carbon footprint and the amount

For example Coal energy produces Carbon dioxide and nitrogen that affect our environment. On contrary, using solar energy does not affect our environment because it is smoke free energy power. Secondly, once the solar panel mounted then the electric bill will be eliminating once for all. The Atlanta Journal Constitution Keefe Bob stated that “Buyers, sold on the promise that solar electric systems and other energy-efficient features will cut their monthly power bills by as much as 60 percent, are snapping up the houses.” ( Keefe) Even though, Coal energy is important to use, it contribute negative impact for global warming.

The solar energy industry creates jobs. The Central Valley is a major hub of agriculture in the United States. The produce in the valley varies from vegetables, fruits, wine, dairy products and fruit juices. To sustain Agribusiness in the region, businessmen and farmers needed to cut the cost of running their farms and ranch. The ability to cut the energy bills has helped many businesses to remain profitable and sustain the livelihood of many families. The increase in Solar Energy in the valley started to grow exponentially in the last decade. The Fresno Bee article, “Valley Solar Firms Shine …,” by Sandford Nax talks about the acceleration of solar company expansion and job creation. Sanford presents the different reasons for the solar

Heritage Solar is owned and operated by two engineers who have more than 50 years of combined experience. Together their team has designed, installed and commissioned more than 650 solar systems in over 70 cities in Southern California. They are a SunPower Elite Dealer and their staff includes an NABCEP certified installer who oversees all installations and processes. Their team also includes engineers with decades of electrical hardware design and contracting experience. Additionally, each installation crew is lead by C-10 electrical contractors.

b) Background and Audience Relevance: Using alternative sources of energy has been around for quite some time, so it’s nothing new. The reason it seems so new is because we have recently begun to gradually replace energy sources with natural alternative ones, so it’s something that affects all of us. c) Speaker Credibility: I want to help the environment and help reduce waste, and I’m very interested in solar panels. d) Thesis: Learning about solar panels will give us a better understanding on how we can use natural energy as a natural alternative in comparison to other sources of energy. e) Preview of Main Points: I will first talk about what solar panels are and how they work, the pros and cons of using solar panels, and how solar panels can affect us.

Also solar wind farms use 54,000 acres of land to produce the equivalent amount of power of a wind farm and nuclear power plant. This means wind farms take up 300 times more acres of land and solar farms take up 110 more acres of land than nuclear power plants to develop the equivalent amount of power.

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.

Solar energy can be used in certain reactions that store energy in chemical bonds like sugar (Spiro 2016). When a type of fertilizer, called synthetic nitrogen, was discovered, it changed the way life on earth operated because all life depends on the presence of nitrogen. Unfortunately, this industrial approach to the supply of this nitrogen is finite and unsustainable. That is why when the Haber-Bosch process was invented to fix nitrogen it was so important because it helped feed most of the human population (Pollan 2006, 47). On farms like, Cow-A-Hen, we were able to see first-hand naturally occurring processes like the nitrogen cycle and nutrient recycling. The owner of the farm, Bill Callahan, has made his living off of agriculture since he began this farm in 1981. One of the many noteworthy things he told my class was that because of the wide variety of species on the farm, nothing goes to waste (Bill Callahan, pers. comm.). We saw an example of this

One other environmental factor regarding wind turbines, especially the wind farms, is that “erecting and maintaining wind turbines can also necessitate clearing land: ridgeline installations often require a fair amount of deforestation, and then there's the associated clearing for access roads, maintenance facilities, and the like”. (7) Although we are trying to help the environment by creating a safer and cleaner source of energy, the actions of clearing our forests, and whatever ecosystem that lived in that forest, in order to save the environment appears to be an oxymoron. “But there are also now a great many turbines situated on farmland, where the fields around their bases are still actively farmed”. (8)

Solar power is one of the most environmentally benign energy sources available. Just 20 days of sunshine produces the same amount of energy as everything stored in Earth’s reserves of oil, coal, and natural gas—yet does not come close to producing the same amount of environmental damage as even one of those options (Greentips, 2005). Solar farms are a clean renewable source that can meet high energy demands and can creates thousands of jobs in the future. It is also used during peak demand for electricity. During the hottest days, the panels are absorbing more energy while homeowners have the a.c. on full blast. They can be installed anywhere