The Advantages of Solar Power: Harnessing Renewable Energy
With rising energy prices, many people are turning towards renewable energy. This type of energy reduces energy costs and is also better for the environment.
Renewables are derived from natural environmental resources, so they’re constantly replenished. At the forefront of this clean energy is solar power. If you’re interested in learning more about solar energy, here are some important factors to consider.
What Is Renewable Energy?
Renewable energy comes from sources that can be quickly replenished. These energy sources include wind, solar, geothermal and hydroelectric power. Renewable energy sources are often called clean or green energy, but these types have minor differences.
Clean energy sources do not release pollutants, such as carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere. In comparison, green energy comes from natural sources.
While there is some crossover between these energy types, not all renewables are clean or green. However, it’s worth noting that renewables are a much more sustainable option compared to fossil fuels.
The Use of Fossil Fuels
As mentioned, fossil fuels are a common energy source used to power everything worldwide. While a large-scale shift towards renewable has recently occurred, many countries still rely heavily on fossil fuels.
These fuels comprise crude oil, coal and natural gas, but they are limited and have a severe negative impact on the planet.
Many industries burn fossil fuels because it’s cheaper; however, the burning releases harmful pollutants and gasses into the air, deteriorating its quality and the environment. Due to these reasons, switching to renewable energy is crucial.
What Is Solar Energy?
Many people are opting for solar energy as their choice of renewable energy. You can often see solar panels on homes and businesses all over the UK. Solar power refers to all the usable energy generated from the sun. This happens in two formats - electric or thermal generation.
Solar power is captured in multiple ways, the most popular method being a solar photovoltaic system that converts sun rays into usable electricity. Solar panels create energy from the sun’s power. These panels are made up of smaller cells containing several semiconductor layers.
When the daylight hits the conductor, it creates an electric current that flows through an electrical system. If you add a battery alongside this, you can even use this energy at night.
Solar energy is so popular because it can produce a vast amount of energy that is enough to power the entire planet. Furthermore, this energy is clean because it doesn’t produce greenhouse gasses or air pollutants.
Aside from PV units, solar thermal energy or concentrated solar power is also used to heat indoor plumping and other spaces.
Domestic and commercial buildings can use solar energy through solar panelling or hot water systems to create passive heating. In this manner, you can take full advantage of renewable solar technology.
Important Renewable Energy Statistics
With governments advancing towards a net zero future, there has been an increased push to adopt renewable energy sources. Rising climate change corners have rapidly increased this desire to implement renewable energy sources.
The current push towards this energy is at an all-time high due to several factors. Here are some vital statistics that shine a light on the push for renewable energy.
The Rise of Renewable Energy Worldwide
The current global projections for renewable energy sources indicate a 30% increase since 2006. This figure is expected to jump even higher by 2030. We can track the awareness and demand for renewable energy sources with these statistics.
Since 2006, there have been low levels of interest generated by this type of energy; however, in 2015, there was a boom in demand for renewable energy.
Since then, the need for renewable energy sources has been steadily increasing. With this demand, people can expect better access to renewable energy sources.
In 2020, renewable accounted for 29% of the electricity generated globally, with the majority coming from hydropower (16.8%). A record-breaking amount of 256 GW of renewable power capacity was added globally in 2020.
As mentioned before, the demand for renewable energy sources is on an upward trend; therefore, we can expect more renewables to become readily available.
Rising Demand For Solar Energy
While there are multiple renewable energy sources, solar and wind lead in this category. Between 2006 and 2030, the demand for solar energy is expected to grow 30 times more.
On the other hand, the demand for wind power is projected to be four times higher than in 2006. While the number might not seem significant, it indicates a sharp increase in interest in wind and solar energy sources.
Compared to demand rates in 2006, there has been a sharp increase in the need for such energy sources. This proves hugely beneficial for the fight towards climate change and the need for clean energy sources.
These statistics show that renewable energy, especially solar power, will become more common in the future.
The Different Types of Solar Energy
Solar panels can be installed in three standard formats: domestic, commercial and utility. Homeowners can opt for residential-style solar panels mounted on the rooftop for maximum power generation.
However, you can install ground-mounted solar PVs in the open land and enjoy quality solar power. Typically, residential-scale solar systems are between 5 to 20 kilowatts (kW), depending on the home’s size and energy demands.
Commercial solar panels are installed at a much greater scale than residential ones. While the individual installation can vary in cost and size, the power generated is much higher than domestic PVs. These panels provide energy in megawatt units to power several stores and businesses.
For some commercial buildings, it's not feasible to install solar panels. In this situation, they can opt for community solar PVs that get their energy from solar farms.
The Advantages Of Solar Energy
Not sure about switching to solar power? Here are some of the great benefits of installing solar energy systems.
Solar Energy Doesn’t Run Out
One of the best things about renewable energy is that it’s inexhaustible. Renewable technologies, such as solar power, take energy directly from the environment to create power.
Since these sources naturally form in the environment, we will have a steady energy supply. Sunshine will always generate electricity that can power several buildings and even cities.
This quality is not found in fossil fuels, which are becoming increasingly difficult to maintain, driving energy costs and deteriorating the environment.
Less Global Warming Impact
Solar energy is clean and doesn’t generate carbon emissions or trap greenhouse gases.
Human activity overwhelms our environment with carbon dioxide and other harmful gas emissions. These gases create a layer around the earth, trapping heat and leading to various harmful environmental impacts such as rising sea levels, species extinction, etc.
In the UK, burning fossil fuels to make electricity is the most significant contributor towards carbon emissions. For this reason, it’s crucial to phase out fossil fuels and replace them with renewable energy sources to lessen the impact of global warming.
Furthermore, solar energy uses little to no water in the generation process, making it a better option than steam turbines.
Solar Energy Can Save Money
Solar energy is a great way to save money in the long run. Not only does this energy help you down on maintenance costs, but you also reduce operating costs.
Renewables such as solar, wind or steam don’t require additional costs for refuelling. If you switch to renewable energy to power your home, you can save a lot on operating costs.
If you use more energy in the summer or winter, renewable will help you reduce costs without affecting your convenience. You don’t have to use the full solar PV system to save money. You can start simply with solar-powered lighting.
Get Money Back Through Solar Energy Credits.
Aside from reducing your energy, you can also get your money back through renewable energy certificates.
Some cities and county energy supplies buy excess solar power from people; you can get energy credits or money. Solar energy credits offer another way to earn back on your renewable energy investment.
Less Maintenance
Generally, renewable energy technologies require less maintenance than traditional fuel systems. This is because renewable systems such as solar panels have few or no moving parts and don’t rely on combustible, flammable fuel. Less maintenance means more money saved in the long run.
Homes With Solar Panels Can Improve Their Property Value
If you’re considering selling your home, you can add more value to the property with solar panels. With renewable energy becoming increasingly popular, many potential buyers are willing to pay a high price for homes with solar PV installed.
Even if you’re not selling your home, the solar PV system will be a great investment for your property.
What Home Appliances Can You Pair With Solar Energy?
Once you’ve switched to solar energy, you want appliances that maximise their potential. Energy efficient home products are a great way to enjoy low costs without compromising quality.
Here are some essential home appliances that pair well with solar energy systems.
Energy Efficient Lighting
Lighting is an essential appliance in any building; therefore, investing in energy efficient luminaries is important. Inefficient lighting can significantly drive up your energy costs and lead to frequent replacement.
For standard bulbs, always go for LED options. At Meteor, you can find the Kosnic range of LED bulbs that use state-of-the-art technology that uses energy efficiently. These luminaries have a long lifespan, cutting down maintenance and replacement costs.
Alternatively, you can also opt for smart bulbs. Smart lighting is a great way to illuminate your space without worrying about utility costs. Check out the Aurora range at Meteor for some of the best smart lighting options.
Aurora smart lights have several advanced features that help you customise your lighting according to your needs. Aurora smart bulbs will fit all your lighting needs, whether you want to create a cosy environment or need lighting for work.
Smart Heaters
Inefficient heaters reduce your energy savings and are extremely detrimental to the environment.
In an average UK household, half of the energy bills are spent on heating and hot water. An efficient heating system can help you significantly reduce your energy bills, and it can also help you heat up your home better.
At Meteor Electrical, you can find ATC Electrical’s iLifestyle heaters that use smart capabilities for added control and energy efficiency. These modern heating solutions use wifi controllability to give you access to multiple advanced settings and features.
With smart wifi heaters, you can control all temperature-related aspects of your home just as you would with a regular heater. Some great functions of a smart heater include energy consumption tracking and data, customisable heating schedules, and timers for operation.
With this added functionality and precise control, smart wifi heaters are an excellent option for commercial and residential properties.
Energy Saving Plugs
Switching your standard appliances with energy efficient ones can often be costly. Consider smart plugs if you are looking for a quick and efficient solution.
Smart plugs are a great way to turn ordinary appliances smart. Simply plug in your appliance and set it up with the corresponding app to use this feature.
At Meteor, you can find the Knightsbridge smart plugs with a convenient size, making installation easy. This innovative plug is made of high-quality materials, so you can keep using appliances without worrying about damage.