University of Sharjah
Question
Asked 16th Aug, 2022
Solar Panels impact on environment?
Solar panels have many negative impact on environment yet solar panel is so popular in renewable energy market,why?if it increase carbon footprint then solar panel must not be one & only solution for renewable . Why we focus less on tidial energy or geotharmal enegry? even biomass,bio-fuel may a better option for renewable.
Most recent answer
The Benefits for the Environment
Solar panels have several benefits for the environment due to their green energy and lack of emissions when running.
#1 Cuts down the energy you use from the Grid. Of course, solar power doesn’t work at night, so for those who don’t have solar batteries installed, they still need to be connected to the National Grid if they don’t have enough energy to run the home after dark. However, it is still massively reducing their dependence on the National Grid.
#2 No emissions. As solar energy relies entirely on gathering energy from the sun and converting it into electricity (or hot water) for use in our home, using it means that you are not producing any greenhouse gases or contributing to global warming. It can reduce the carbon footprint of your home by 80% in one year.
#3 It’s renewable. Solar energy is a form of renewable energy. This means that there is plenty of it to go around because it is an energy source that won’t run out (not for another few billion years anyway). Fossil fuels are a finite source of energy, and one that we damage the planet with when we mine and distribute it. By relying on solar panels, you are one less household that is relying on fossil fuels, and it can make a bigger impact than you might think.
#4 They last a long time and require little to no maintenance. The manufacturing process for solar panels is not perfect, something that we will look at further in the next section, but the fact that they last so long and don’t need much maintenance is good news. Conventional heating methods require relatively regular replacement and maintenance, which can cause a lot of environmentally unfriendly waste, as well as increase the need for more units to be made. Solar panels last about 50 years, so you shouldn’t need to replace them for a long time.
The Disadvantages for the Environment
There are a few disadvantages for the environment that come with using solar panels, however. These are important issues to note so that they can be addressed with further research and development.
#1 They can take up a lot of land. Solar farms are incredibly large structures, and ones that take up entire fields. Unlike wind farms, they cannot be shared with agricultural pursuits because they are mounted on the ground. However, it is possible to try and minimise the impact that solar farms have by placing them on brownfield sites, or investing in floating solar panels for reservoirs.
#2 The use of water is a little high. During the manufacturing process for solar PV panels, water is used. This is not a significant amount for concern, however. Instead, the focus shifts to thermal solar panels. Concentrating solar thermal plants require large quantities of water for the cooling systems that have been installed. Unfortunately, many of the areas in the world with the highest potential for solar efficiency also have some of the driest climates, making this a difficult obstacle to overcome.
#3 The manufacturing process isn’t entirely clean. The disappointing part of solar panels is the fact that the manufacturing process does cause some pollution as well as produces hazardous materials. Monocrystalline solar cells produce a lot of silicon waste and use additional energy, while thin film solar cells contain toxic materials that can cause environmental harm. However, most manufacturers are responsible for the safe disposal of this waste, and more companies are following suit.
How We Can Improve Things
The important thing to remember is that solar panels are an excellent and effective way of producing energy for your home that is clean and will massively reduce your carbon footprint. While the manufacturing process and other aspects are not yet perfect, this should not stop you from investing.
Every solar panel purchased helps to drive research and development further, which then leads to the improvement of the product. There are aspects that need fixing, and hopefully, they will be over time. Here are some of the key things that can be improved:
- Better levels of efficiency during the day
- More efficiency solar batteries for evening use
- Further investment in floating solar panels for reservoirs
- A cleaner manufacturing process for a lowered emission rate
- Alternatives to the huge amounts of water used in cooling systems
These things can be achieved with further research and development, so make sure you continue to invest in solar panels, and support the process towards better panels. With the help of the public and consumers, we will have better, more efficient, and more powerful solar energy.
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All Answers (4)
Andhra University
I agree your point. Here Advantages are more than disadvantages mainly the process of energy conversation using solar is much easier than tidal ,wind,biomass etc example let's take tidal .. we have to choose place where tides are more but we know that we can't assume the tides occurance like solar energy more during day like that.
Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi
The aboundant nature of solar energy resource makes it more popular among the Renewable Energy technologies. Note also that the negative impact of solar panel on environment may depend on the scale of the solar farm. However, it is not unconnected with the general impact of physical facility development on environment. Nonetheless, with good planning and environmental impact assessment, the negative impact is be minimized.
American International University-Bangladesh
Ecosystem-Solar Interactions :
- Developing tools and methods to better track and comprehend interactions between large solar installations and bird species.
- developing guidelines and decision-making instruments for the implementation of solar-pollinator habitat projects on substantial solar plants.
- evaluating the variety and number of local pollinator insects, birds, and bats related to the co-location of pollinator habitats with large-scale solar facilities.
- the creation of technology and methods to more effectively track and comprehend interactions between projects and bird species.
the water quality of runoff from storms
- field research is being done to create and verify a model that can forecast stormwater infiltration and runoff for a variety of site conditions and determine optimal practices for stormwater management at ground-mounted solar facilities.
- evaluating how floating photovoltaic (FPV) devices affect water quality, wildlife activity, and PV performance.
- In solar projects that are also home to pasture-based cow grazing, the health of the grassland ecosystem is monitored.
- we are measuring the soil's health and the microclimate for a variety of crops using various solar array designs.
Resource Supplements:
- Large-Scale Solar Siting - Background data and answers to frequently asked questions about large-scale solar siting procedures.
- Wildlife and Ecosystem Effects of Solar Radiation Information Request (RFI) is a summary of the replies to the SETO's RFI on the effects of solar energy on ecosystems and wildlife that was issued in 2021.
- The Avian-Solar Multi-Agency Collaborative Working Group aims to advance better knowledge of the effects on avian species related to solar energy projects and related infrastructure. The group is composed of federal and state entities.
- The goal of the work of the Avian Solar Working Group is to better understand how birds interact with solar facilities through scientific research. The group consists of academic institutions, environmental organizations, solar companies, and representatives from the solar industry.
University of Sharjah
The Benefits for the Environment
Solar panels have several benefits for the environment due to their green energy and lack of emissions when running.
#1 Cuts down the energy you use from the Grid. Of course, solar power doesn’t work at night, so for those who don’t have solar batteries installed, they still need to be connected to the National Grid if they don’t have enough energy to run the home after dark. However, it is still massively reducing their dependence on the National Grid.
#2 No emissions. As solar energy relies entirely on gathering energy from the sun and converting it into electricity (or hot water) for use in our home, using it means that you are not producing any greenhouse gases or contributing to global warming. It can reduce the carbon footprint of your home by 80% in one year.
#3 It’s renewable. Solar energy is a form of renewable energy. This means that there is plenty of it to go around because it is an energy source that won’t run out (not for another few billion years anyway). Fossil fuels are a finite source of energy, and one that we damage the planet with when we mine and distribute it. By relying on solar panels, you are one less household that is relying on fossil fuels, and it can make a bigger impact than you might think.
#4 They last a long time and require little to no maintenance. The manufacturing process for solar panels is not perfect, something that we will look at further in the next section, but the fact that they last so long and don’t need much maintenance is good news. Conventional heating methods require relatively regular replacement and maintenance, which can cause a lot of environmentally unfriendly waste, as well as increase the need for more units to be made. Solar panels last about 50 years, so you shouldn’t need to replace them for a long time.
The Disadvantages for the Environment
There are a few disadvantages for the environment that come with using solar panels, however. These are important issues to note so that they can be addressed with further research and development.
#1 They can take up a lot of land. Solar farms are incredibly large structures, and ones that take up entire fields. Unlike wind farms, they cannot be shared with agricultural pursuits because they are mounted on the ground. However, it is possible to try and minimise the impact that solar farms have by placing them on brownfield sites, or investing in floating solar panels for reservoirs.
#2 The use of water is a little high. During the manufacturing process for solar PV panels, water is used. This is not a significant amount for concern, however. Instead, the focus shifts to thermal solar panels. Concentrating solar thermal plants require large quantities of water for the cooling systems that have been installed. Unfortunately, many of the areas in the world with the highest potential for solar efficiency also have some of the driest climates, making this a difficult obstacle to overcome.
#3 The manufacturing process isn’t entirely clean. The disappointing part of solar panels is the fact that the manufacturing process does cause some pollution as well as produces hazardous materials. Monocrystalline solar cells produce a lot of silicon waste and use additional energy, while thin film solar cells contain toxic materials that can cause environmental harm. However, most manufacturers are responsible for the safe disposal of this waste, and more companies are following suit.
How We Can Improve Things
The important thing to remember is that solar panels are an excellent and effective way of producing energy for your home that is clean and will massively reduce your carbon footprint. While the manufacturing process and other aspects are not yet perfect, this should not stop you from investing.
Every solar panel purchased helps to drive research and development further, which then leads to the improvement of the product. There are aspects that need fixing, and hopefully, they will be over time. Here are some of the key things that can be improved:
- Better levels of efficiency during the day
- More efficiency solar batteries for evening use
- Further investment in floating solar panels for reservoirs
- A cleaner manufacturing process for a lowered emission rate
- Alternatives to the huge amounts of water used in cooling systems
These things can be achieved with further research and development, so make sure you continue to invest in solar panels, and support the process towards better panels. With the help of the public and consumers, we will have better, more efficient, and more powerful solar energy.
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