Comparing Solar Energy with Other Renewable Energy Sources

When it comes to energy, we’re still a long way from claiming that a good majority of our energy requirements are met by renewable sources. In fact, renewable energy still has a long way to go, but with technological advancements and a general understanding that this is the only habitable planet we have, people, corporations and governments are slowly coming around to renewable energy. But where exactly does renewable energy itself stand in all of this? Are all sources of renewable energy equally beneficial and pose no threat to the environment at all? This is something that we need to discuss, and in this blog post, we will do exactly that: comparing solar energy with other renewable energy sources.

But how exactly do renewable energy sources help the environment? For example, solar energy comes up frequently in discussions where the future of renewable energy is concerned. Does the use of renewable energy beget a decrease in reliance on fossil fuels, or does the process of using renewable energy equally damages the environment? Let’s take a look.

Renewable energy sources

As the name implies, renewable energy sources are different sources where our energy needs can be catered to without resorting to the harmful fossil fuels and their equally dangerous emissions. These include nuclear, wind and solar energy. Now, out of these three, which one is really environment-friendly?

Nuclear energy

For starters, nuclear energy is a clean, renewable energy source that does not have any ill-effects on the environment. It is also very efficient, as only a fraction of the fissile material is needed to start a reaction that will generate heat, which will in turn, convert water into steam to be used for turbines generating electricity. However, nuclear energy has a couple of drawbacks: for one, it is dangerous and not safe at all. We all know about the Fukushima, Chernobyl, and the Three Mile Island disasters; these were all nuclear accidents that bought absolute carnage to the areas they affected. As such, while nuclear energy is feasible and efficient, it is not safe, which means that it is not the renewable energy source that can help us fix the environment and climate change effectively.

Wind energy

Wind energy is certainly clean; it does not have any ill-effects on the environment and neither does it contribute to global warming and climate change. The manufacturing and maintenance of windmills and their parts is also not very damaging to the environment, so there is a distinct advantage of wind energy over nuclear. However, there are two aspects of wind power that make it an unfeasible choice of renewable energy if we really want to lower our carbon footprint for the sake of the planet. For one, the generation potential is way too low for wind to be feasible. And even if you think increasing the quantity of windmills will work, that won’t because the amount of real estate it would take up again, makes it very unfeasible.

Why solar energy is the best renewable energy for the planet

With only solar energy left, you’d think that there would be a catch in it as well. No, not really. There is a reason why solar energy is considered as one of the best and most feasible renewable energy sources. That is because, unlike nuclear energy, solar energy is completely safe. Even the manufacturing of equipment like solar panels, inverters and solar batteries is not harmful to the environment. And the method of generating electricity does not take up a lot of real estate either, which is where solar energy beats out wind power as well.

What is even more impressive is the efficiency of solar power. The average residential solar panel has an efficiency of nearly 30 per cent, and if you consider the time that they are exposed to sunlight, it can help explain why solar energy is so popular across the world. Because it is the only renewable energy source that caters to the energy needs without any downsides at all, and is completely safe for the environment. Since our reliance on fossil fuels will decrease as the reserves start to deplete, solar energy is poised to take the reins over as the primary source of electricity generation for the world.

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