Humankind is facing an unprecedented environmental crisis due in large part to the rise of global temperatures, aka climate change. In this dire world of diminishing resources, leading scientists and engineers are calling for renewable energy sources such as solar power to be utilized to the utmost capacity. Solar energy has the potential to play an instrumental role in preventing further climate change.
The energy generated by solar power is clean and more importantly, renewable; it’s an inexhaustible power source that can be utilized over any length of time. Solar energy harnesses the light and heat of the sun and converts them into electricity. This makes solar power an efficient and effective alternative to the utilization of fossil fuels, which emits greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to a rise in global temperatures. This in turn alters weather patterns, triggering extreme weather events such as floods and droughts. Therefore, by utilizing solar energy instead of fossil fuels, people would be able to limit their carbon footprint and reduce the rate of global warming.
It is worth noting that solar energy does not only cause benefits on environmental implications, it also has significant economic and social benefits. According to a 2018 study by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, since its inception, the solar industry has created hundreds of thousands of jobs. This figure is only expected to rise as solar energy becomes increasingly prominent and today it already has the most workers in power generation directory, ahead of coal, oil, and natural gas. Furthermore, solar energy is relatively inexpensive in comparison to other energy sources, reducing energy costs and providing energy independence to nations that rely heavily on traditional energy sources. Therefore, on top of its positive environmental impact, solar energy can also have far reaching economic and social effects.
Despite its advantages, there are several cons associated with solar energy as well. For example, solar power requires large areas of land to be installed, so their installation could result in habitat destruction and disruption to local flora and fauna. Additionally, since solar power relies on the amount of sunlight available, it is not a consistent or reliable source of energy. Solar panels are only able to generate power during peak sunlight hours and on especially cloudy days, solar power is not available. This can lead to energy outages and hinder progress.
In conclusion, solar energy has the potential to be a great tool to help combat global warming. Utilizing clean, renewable energy sources allows for a reduction in the use of harmful fossil fuels and generate electrical power with minimal environmental damage. Although not perfect, the benefits of solar energy far exceed the negatives and with the implementation of current and future technological advancements, solar energy can become even more effective and efficient at preventing further climate change.
