Solar energy may seem like a fantastic idea but there are solar energy advantages and disadvantages. It is great for the environment as there is no pollution and so electricity can be produced at no cost to the environment. The energy is renewable and so it cannot be used up, so there will be no fear of a fuel shortage such as is the case with fossil fuels. It is also very diverse and can be used for many portable objects as well as for electricity in houses and offices, and even to power cars.

Another advantage is that the cells used to convert the suns energy into electricity are silent. Compared to the noise made drilling for oil or extracting coal this will make a great difference to noise pollution. There is also no on-going cost; once you have bought the solar panels, it is unlikely that they will need a great deal of maintenance and they last for a very long time. You will no longer have to pay for electricity either so once you have paid out initially you will have no more costs.

Smaller solar powered items such as pond pumps and outdoor lights have no wires as they come as a complete unit. This means that they can be very easily installed without help from an electrician.

However, there are just a few disadvantages. Solar panels are very expensive to buy and install, and this is probably the major factor in stopping people from buying them. It may seem like it will take a long time to make back the money spent on them in savings on fuel bills. Some houses will not be able to install solar panels due to planning restrictions. In countries where there is not much sun, there may not be enough power generated using the solar panels to make it worthwhile installing them. No electricity can be generated when it is dark which means that energy produced during the day needs to be stored for use at night, or electricity needed at night will have to be paid for.

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Quick Tip #1

Solar energy is best for countries that get a lot of sunlight. It can be a great source of electricity and help add to the current supply, providing a cheaper and renewable source that causes no pollution.

Quick Tip #2

In India it is possible for the country to be able to produce more energy from the sun than they would ever use. This is because they receive a huge amount of sunlight and their population is not massively in demand of electricity.