Solar Energy Benefits the Environment, Your Health, & Your Wealth
Throughout the industrial age, fossil fuels have provided the energy that has powered the machines that have made life better and easier for many millions of people.
These fuels were necessary for most of this time frame. Today, the need for fossil fuels is waning.
Alternative energy sources can provide much of the energy necessary to run the modern world, and solar energy is one of the most effective sources available. Here are some of the benefits of solar energy.
Solar Energy Benefits The Environment
Solar energy provides several benefits for the environment. First, solar energy burns clean. Fossil fuels tend to produce quite a bit of air pollution. This pollution comes as the burning of the fuels produces carbon dioxide and other gases and particulates that can contribute to global warming.
This contributes to the infamous greenhouse effect as high levels of carbon dioxide trap heat in the earth’s atmosphere. Using solar energy as a household or business can cut down on your carbon footprint, which is very good for the environment.
The second benefit that solar energy provides to the environment is the fact that it’s renewable energy. Once a gallon of gas or a ton of coal is burned to provide for energy needs, its utility is gone for good. The sun continues to burn and radiate energy in the earth’s direction, and it should continue to do so for the foreseeable future. This is one of the best environmental benefits of solar energy.
Yet another environmental benefit that comes from the use of solar energy is the conservation of fossil fuels. Solar energy cannot take over all use of fossil fuels. Plastics require the use of petroleum, for example, but renewable energy sources like the sun can largely handle the earth’s future power needs. This means that the conservation of fossil fuels can be helped by using solar power for its environmental benefits.
Solar Energy Benefits Your Health
While looking to cut down on your solar footprint and the greenhouse effect is a worthy goal, the environmental impact is not the only benefit of moving toward future solar power production. There are also health benefits.
Air pollution can lead to a great number of health issues. Those with asthma will find it very difficult to breathe in areas with high levels of pollution. Some studies have indicated that chronic bronchitis, respiratory complications, and cardiovascular problems can be heightened from prolonged exposure to gases that come from fossil fuels.
Cutting down on fossil fuel use in your home can also cut down on your carbon footprint and do your part in reducing pollution. You could also contribute by slowing down the process of global warming and the depletion of fossil fuel resources at the micro-level.
Improving the air quality and reducing fossil fuels could cut down on these major health issues and lead to fewer sick days and higher productivity. With more people using solar energy, health indicators should improve over time.
Solar Energy Benefits Your Wealth
Not only could solar energy benefit the environment and your health, but it could also help you build wealth. Energy bills from utility companies make up a large percentage of home costs. Combine that with tax incentives, which drastically reduce the solar panel installation cost, and money becomes one of the best solar energy pros. By hooking up to a solar power source, it’s possible to bypass the traditional electric grid and cut the utility companies out of power production on your household level.
In the past, the use of solar panels for a home’s energy needs was expensive. This is no longer the case. It’s estimated that the cost of setting up a solar energy system with a capacity of 6 kW has dropped by 60 percent over the past decade.
The government has done its part to promote the solar industry, as well. There is a tax credit of 30 percent of the cost of installing a solar energy system. This means that the average homeowner who switches to an average solar panel system could save about $5,600 on their taxes in the year they make the purchase.
The increased use of solar energy means that improved production techniques and lower costs will allow the solar industry to harness solar power efficiently. The deletion of a monthly electric bill can also help solar panels pay for themselves over time, and the money that’s saved could go toward building household wealth.
Solar Energy Is The Future Of Power
Not only are energy health and lower energy bills tied together by harnessing the power of the sun, but solar power can also impact national security. Energy independence has been a greater goal as solar electricity becomes a viable, cheaper energy source.
It’s important to remember that oil and other fossil fuels are finite resources, and they do not provide all of the nation’s energy needs. Solar energy is the future of power because the sun will continue to provide solar on earth for as long as it continues to burn.
Energy from the sun could provide all of the future power needs of the US pretty easily. Future solar power production only promises to rise over time. Harnessing the energy of the sun’s rays has many benefits. Not only does solar energy provide a renewable source of clean energy, but it also cuts down on negative health effects that come from burning fossil fuels that spew pollutants into the air and water that humans and animals breathe and drink.
Additionally, there is the financial benefit of cutting your family off from the public utility grid. Electric bills can become a thing of the past. In some instances, homeowners can even sell their excess energy production back to the utility companies and improve their cash flow even more.
Finally, energy independence does not only mean that a family can cut off the need for an electric company to power its home. It also means that the nation can cut off the need to go to other countries to supply its energy needs. This means a big improvement in terms of national security. Solar power as a source of energy is not going anywhere. It is the power source of the future.
