Quick Summary: Solar energy is a renewable resource that lowers electricity bills and reduces carbon emissions but requires an initial investment and faces limitations like nighttime operation and geographic variability.
The use of solar energy as a power source is more prevalent than ever, but it is still often misunderstood. Here, we provide some solar energy information, including definitions and a description of how solar power is produced. We also give you some information about solar energy systems for your home or business, including the pros and cons and how to decide if it’s right for you.
How Can We Define Solar Energy?
First things first. We need a solar energy definition. What does solar mean? The word comes from the Latin ‘sol,’ meaning sun, so the word solar can be used to refer to anything related to the sun.
Broadly speaking, solar energy is the light and heat produced by the sun that we can harness for our own purposes. Solar power or solar electricity is what we get when we use solar energy to generate power.
Have solar in Texas? Explore our Texas Solar Buyback program.
What Are the Categories of Solar Energy?
There are two categories of solar energy: passive solar energy and active solar energy. Both types are based on the mode of conversion. Passive solar energy involves capturing the sun’s energy without using mechanical devices, while active solar energy uses mechanical devices to collect, distribute, and store solar energy.
Examples of passive solar energy are passive solar architecture like solar windows or thermal mass systems such as brick, concrete, stone, and tile that absorb, store, and slowly release thermal energy. Active solar energy examples include photovoltaic solar panels, solar thermal energy systems, or solar-powered pumps.
What Are Solar Energy Technologies?
The three types of solar energy technology are solar heating and cooling (SHC), concentrating solar power, and photovoltaics. Both SHC and concentrated solar power (CSP) applications utilize solar-generated heat, but for different purposes: SHC systems provide water and space heating, while CSP plants use the heat to operate turbines that produce electricity. Meanwhile photovoltaics use an electronic process to generate electricity directly from the sun to be used to power electronics large and small.
How is Solar Energy Used?
The most common way to convert sunlight to electricity is through photovoltaic cells. That’s the technical term for solar panels, which are becoming more and more common throughout the world. This includes rooftop panels on houses and businesses. In more large-scale photovoltaic power stations, the solar panels are arranged almost edge-to-edge to capture concentrated sunlight in large fields.
The cells that make up a panel are created from semiconductor materials, usually silicon. When the sun’s rays hit the solar cells, it loosens electrons from their atoms. This allows the electrons to flow through the solar cell and generate electricity.
Solar-thermal power plants (in contrast to photovoltaic power plants) use a variety of techniques to produce solar-thermal energy using heat from the sun. The heat is concentrated and used to boil water, which, in turn, operates a steam turbine to generate electricity in a similar fashion to a conventional power plant. There are solar-thermal energy plants out there, but they are much less common than photovoltaics.
Is Solar Renewable?
Renewable energy is any source of energy that cannot be depleted. Fossil fuels like oil, natural gas, and coal are finite. Though there are enough of those resources, and we have managed to fuel the Industrial Revolution with them, there is not an infinite amount.
Renewable energy also contrasts with fossil fuels in that it does not produce the massive volume of carbon released into the earth’s atmosphere to create the climate change challenges we face.
Solar and wind, for example, are resources that cannot be depleted and don’t produce carbon. The sun will always shine, and the wind will always blow. So yes, solar energy is definitely a renewable energy source. In fact, it may end up being the most important tool we have in the clean energy transition as we move toward renewable energy sources.
What are Some Solar Energy Pros and Cons?
Solar energy has pros and cons. It’s important to find an energy source that works for you, and determining if solar energy will fit into your daily lifestyle is a priority. Here are some factors to consider when deciding which energy choice is right for you.
| Advantages of Solar Energy | Disadvantages of Solar Energy |
| Lowers your Electricity Bills | Expensive Initial Investment |
| Environmentally Friendly | It Won’t Work at Night |
| Moves us Closer Towards Energy Independence | Limited Energy Storage |
| Sustainable | Space Constraints |
| Low Maintenance | Isn’t 100% Pollution-Free |
| Benefits the Electricity Grid | Depends on Location |
What are Some Solar Energy Advantages?
The advantages of powering your home with solar energy are many, but we’ve narrowed the list down to the most important. Here are some advantages to switching your home or business to solar power.
Lowers Your Electricity Bill
Reducing the monthly electric bill is a priority in most homes, and electricity generation through the power of the sun is a simple way to reduce your electric bill.
Not only does solar power save money, but it can help you earn more. Some solar energy systems are candidates for state-level incentives, rebates, and federal tax credits. To qualify, the solar system itself must be certified by the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation (SRCC) or a similar service endorsed by your state government. Because you’re choosing a safer, greener electricity option, the government will reward you with a tax cut, helping you save money on installation.
Explore our electricity bill calculator.
Join us – we've been at this for more than 20 years, so you're in good hands.
Environmentally Friendly
Solar electricity has far fewer carbon emissions than the standard forms of non-green electrical energy that heavily rely on fossil fuels. Greenhouse gas emissions are insignificant because solar power uses no fuel combustion. Each kilowatt-hour (kWh) of solar energy substantially reduces greenhouse gas emissions like CO2 and other dangerous pollutants such as sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. The more people who choose renewable energy, the cleaner our air will be.
Moves Us Towards Energy Independence
Limited resources like fossil fuels will one day run out and cannot be replaced, but the sun will keep on shining for another 5 billion years or so. Remaining independent will allow our renewable resources to grow as technology further develops and we find more ways to incorporate renewable energy into everyday life.
Sustainable
Solar energy could be a stable resource for billions of years. It’s the most abundant energy resource on earth—173,000 terawatts of solar energy strike the earth’s surface continuously. That’s more than 10,000 times the world’s total energy use. For all intents and purposes, our solar energy resources are endless.
Low Maintenance
Most solar energy systems come with a very extended warranty—sometimes up to 25 years. Maintenance usually only requires an annual cleaning, and the solar PV and solar thermal parts will need to be changed out about every 10 years. There are no moving parts, so there’s less that could break down or go wrong. Since solar energy systems are easy to maintain, you won’t have to spend too many repairs. This also makes solar energy systems an attractive choice for people who might not be able to fix or maintain household appliances.
Benefits the Electricity Grid
Because solar power puts less burden on the electric grid, some U.S. states offer net metering policies. Net metering policies allow those who generate solar power to sell excess electricity to a utility at a retail rate and receive credit on their utility bill. This credit offsets the customer’s electricity consumption during other times of the day or year, which reduces the amount of electricity you need to source (and pay for) from a utility.
What are Some Disadvantages of Solar?
Although there are many reasons to make the switch to an eco-friendly, renewable energy option, solar panel energy isn’t the best for everyone.
Substantial Initial Investment
The initial installation of a solar power system can be quite costly upfront. Every company offers different pricing options. Cost can vary depending on your location, number of solar panels needed, installation requirements, and labor fees. This can be difficult for some households, and getting a loan or accruing credit card debt might be the only option for the purchase.
Doesn’t Work at Night
Solar electricity relies on utility grids to generate power at night when the sun isn’t out. Some solar panel systems have an optional battery backup, but not all are available with this option. So when the sun isn’t out, you’ll have to rely on the energy grid like everyone else.
Energy Storage
If you don’t use your solar energy immediately, it will have to be stored on batteries, which can be both costly and space-consuming. These batteries charge during the day so that you have energy to use at night. Fortunately, battery technology is improving and falling in cost all the time.
Space Constraints
The more electricity you need, the more solar equipment you will need, which leads to more space that you will have to use. Not all roofs have adequate space to equip the number of solar panels customers want or require. Solar panels can also be stored in your yard but need access to an abundant amount of sunlight, so yards with trees won’t suffice.
Find the perfect plan in 3 easy steps!
1 Enter your ZIP code
2 Choose your plan
3 Sign up in under 5 minutes
Variability
Although the sun is an abundant source of solar energy, its intensity and availability can vary throughout the world. Depending on where you live, your weather conditions might be rainier and cloudier than other places. In some parts of the world, like Alaska, the sun won’t appear for days in the wintertime, which can be an issue for those relying on solar-powered energy sources.
Solar eclipses can also have an impact on solar energy generators. During an eclipse, those with solar systems will need to get power from other sources of electricity to supplement the decrease in solar power.
If you live in an area with low sunlight, planning is everything. Have adequate battery backups to get you through the darker times.
Is a Solar Energy System Right for You?
As energy customers turn towards more renewable and green energy options, it’s important to differentiate their pros and cons. Before committing to a newer, greener energy source, try to establish a budget that would be affordable to you and your family. Then, calculate what the solar energy option would cost you in the long run and how much it would save over time. Make a list of pros and cons that are personalized to you and your family specifically so that you can better understand what options are more beneficial to you over others.
Need a power company in Texas? Explore Texas electricity plans from Just Energy.
Brought to you by justenergy.com
Resources:
- Energy Star, Federal Tax Credits: Solar Energy Systems, Retrieved From: https://www.energystar.gov/about/federal_tax_credits/solar_energy_systems
- Energy.gov, Benefits of Residential Solar Energy, Retrieved From: https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/benefits-residential-solar-electricity
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Energy on a Sphere, Retrieved From:
- National Conference of State Legislature, 11/20/2017, State Net Metering Policies, Retrieved From:
- U.S. Energy Information Administration, 12/28/2017, Solar Eclipse on August 21 will Affect Photovoltaic Generators Across the Country, Retrieved From: https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.php?id=34312
