There is a lot of pressure for everyone to change to solar or wind power, but what is really being done by making that change? Here are three very real and tangible benefits to switching to solar power:
1. Solar Power Saves Water
Solar power is inherently a renewable resource, which essentially means that no matter how much solar electricity we harvest with solar racking and panels, there will always be more. This is different from other sources of energy because other energy sources only have a finite amount of resources that can be consumed. One such resource that is saved by using solar power systems is water. For every kilowatt of energy produced by solar panels, one hundred and five gallons of water can be saved and put toward other things. Considering how scarce water is in some parts of the world, that’s a big deal.
2. Solar Power Saves Resources
Another resource that solar power helps folks conserve is coal. For every kilowatt of solar energy produced here, as much as one hundred and fifty pounds of coal can be conserved. This is a big one because coal is actually a very harmful source of energy to harvest. The stereotypical factory from the industrial revolution with thick, black smoke trailing up into the sky was probably burning coal. On that note…
3. Solar Power Saves The Air
When you burn coal or other nonrenewable substances rather than hooking up solar racking to harvest solar power, you are actively harming the environment. For every kilowatt of electricity generated by solar panels, as much as three hundred pounds of CO2 would be emitted by a comparable traditional factory. That is incredibly bad for the environment and is not at all sustainable, which is why there is a big push to convert away from these nonrenewable fuel sources. What do you think about solar power?
