| Using the energy given to us freely by the sun is not | | | | without it there wouldn't be any live here on earth, we |
| just a modern concept. This type of technology has | | | | can almost completely eliminate the use of natural |
| been utilized for thousands of years by many different | | | | resources and fossil fuels by utilizing that energy. One |
| cultures. | | | | amazing fact is that if we could even harness only 1 |
| The Greeks knew the many advantages of solar | | | | 4th of the power produced by the sun we would |
| energy. One of the ways the used the energy of the | | | | completely eliminate our use of natural fuels. A great |
| sun was rudimentary in style but very efficient. They | | | | advantage of solar power is that if we stopped our |
| actually built their homes facing south, therefore using a | | | | use of fossil fuels we would also stop our production |
| natural solar heating system. The sun has also been | | | | of harmful green house gasses and other chemicals |
| used for its other benefits, one of those being the | | | | into the environment and the atmosphere. It would also |
| ability for farmers to track when to plant and harvest | | | | stop to destruction of the rain forests and the |
| just by the position of the suns position in the stars. | | | | contamination of our oceans, such as in the Gulf of |
| Solar Energy Today | | | | Mexico oil spill. |
| Today we use the sun's energy to create electricity | | | | As you can see there are many advantages of solar |
| with a modern technology, solar panels. The immediate | | | | power, but do the advantages outweigh the |
| benefits are obvious due to the reduction of energy | | | | disadvantages of this renewable energy source? |
| costs, which can sometimes be completely eliminated. | | | | Solar Power Disadvantages |
| Using these solar panels is a great way to go green | | | | Still, even when looking at the benefits of solar power |
| and helps reduce the amount of fossil fuels we use. | | | | we can still the that there are other disadvantages of |
| Disadvantages of Solar Energy | | | | renewable energy. As stated earlier we have still not |
| There are some disadvantages with using solar panels | | | | found an environmentally friendly way to produce solar |
| to create our energy. The main issue that we come | | | | panels. It is a necessity for us to discover a more |
| across is actually the way that solar panels are | | | | efficient way to create and produce solar panels. |
| produced. Solar panels use expensive materials which | | | | Another disadvantage of solar panels is that we can |
| are not renewable and are expensive to make, which | | | | not recyclable and the materials are not reusable. This |
| almost contradicts the idea of being "green" or | | | | is because of certain chemicals which are used in their |
| "eco-friendly". This creates a problem we still need to | | | | production. This makes solar panels wasteful when |
| solve, which is creating a more environmentally sound | | | | they are no longer usable. |
| way to capture the suns energy and convert it into | | | | Solar panels also come at a high price. When |
| electricity. | | | | purchasing them it can be a large initial investment with |
| Eliminating The Use of Fossil Fuels | | | | a low return. There are immediate benefits when you |
| For many, the disaster in the gulf of Mexico was a | | | | install solar panels, such as the reduction of your |
| wake up call to the horrors of using the earths | | | | energy costs, but it can take many years to make |
| precious resources and how the mining of them can | | | | your money back. |
| cause horrible reactions. Instead of using fossil feuls | | | | We still need to find a more environmentally friendly |
| such as oil, wood, natural gasses and coal we can | | | | way to produce solar panels. Once we can produce |
| utilize the most abundant source of energy in our solar | | | | panels which are cheaper and reusable we can truly |
| system, the sun. | | | | start making a difference in the way that we use |
| Other Advantages of Solar Power | | | | energy on our planet and therefore there will be many |
| As the sun is our most abundant source of energy, | | | | more advantages of solar energy. |