Pros, Cons & Uses of Solar PV Energy Technology

Solar energy is one of the renewable energy sources that are freely available for harnessing. Here, energy from the sun is captured to create photovoltaic power (PV), mostly in form of direct current (DC). This captured energy from the sun can be used in different ways, such: generation of electricity in homes, powering electric cars, heating purposes, ventilation purposes (using solar attic fans), etc. The popularity of the solar energy sector is gradually becoming popular as year go by, and is gradually replacing almost all fossil fuel use cases. In this article, you will learn the various uses, advantages and disadvantages of the solar PV energy technology.

Other Renewable Energy Sources

Solar energy is not the only renewable energy. Some other renewable energy sources include:

1. Biomass Fuels: Unprocessed plant materials (like firewood) combusted to generate heat.
2. Biofuels: Fuel produced by the processing plant materials, such as Jatropha.
3. Ethanol: Fuel produced by the processing of sugar cane.
4. Wind: The harnessing of mechanical energy of wind (captured by wind turbines) to generate electricity or pump water.
5. Hydro-power: The harnessing of mechanical energy of flowing water (captured by hydro turbines) to generate electricity or pump water.
6. Biogas: The production of cooking gas (methane) by the anaerobic digestion of organic waste matter, such as agricultural waste or animal waste.

Advantages of Solar PV System/Technology

The advantages of the solar PV technology are numerous. Below are some of them.

1. Solar energy is called clean-green energy because during the generation of electricity via solar PV, there are no emission of harmful greenhouse gases. This makes solar energy environment-friendly (not a source of environmental pollution).
2. Also, because solar energy is supplied by nature, it is free and abundant (the source does not deplete with time, unlike fossil fuels).
3. The solar PV technology has very high promising future, both for environmental viability and economic sustainability.
4. Another great advantage of using solar energy is that it has very low (almost negligible) operating and maintenance costs when compared to other renewable energy systems.
5. Also, solar PV systems do not generate noise, as there are no mechanically moving parts involved, except in the case of sun-tracking mechanical bases. So this means that the system has the lowest breakage (breakdown) probability.

Disadvantages of Solar PV System/Technology

As you know, anything that has an advantage also has a disadvantage, but then, the advantages of solar PV systems far outweigh the disadvantages. Below are some of the disadvantages or challenges of the solar PV technology.

1. Solar energy is not always available, especially when there is no sunlight, usually at night, or during rainy or cloudy days. This challenge also applies to other renewable energy sources. This intermittency and unpredictable nature of solar energy makes it a less reliable energy source. But for a continuous supply of electric power using solar energy, you can include batteries for energy storage for later use, especially in periods of less solar energy production.
2. The cost of installing a solar PV system is very high when compared to some other renewable energy systems because you need to buy some of the solar PV system components, such as: battery, inverters, charge controllers, solar cables, etc. But note this high installation cost occur once, as these components can serve you for many years without need for replacement or maintenance if properly used.
3. Efficiency of solar panels are relatively low (around 14% to 25%) when compared to the efficiency levels of some other renewable energy systems.

See:

• 5 Best Ways to Make Money from Solar Energy Sector
• Solution to All Solar PV Systems Installation Calculations

Conclusion

So, you can see that the solar energy technology has come to stay, and has a great promising future. The solar PV technology is still under development. Life has been a lot easier with the evolution of electric cars that can be powered by solar PV systems, solar refrigeration, solar welding machines, solar water heaters (using evacuated tube solar geyser), solar milk pasteurizers, solar crop dryers, etc. There are more to come from the solar PV technology.

Did you find any section of this article confusing? Drop your questions in the comment section below. Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog via email to get notified once we publish new articles. Share this article with your social media friends by clicking a share button below. Enjoy!

Recommended Business and Entrepreneurship Books

The Passionate Entrepreneur’s Strategies: Learn how to discover business ideas that will be successful, grow multiple online income streams, make money from home, attract new & retain customers, applications of SWOT analysis in any business, skills that will help you succeed as an entrepreneur, self-discipline, etc. Lucrative Business Ideas Series Book 1. By Buzzer Joseph. Read more about the book.

How to Make Money from Blogging & Affiliate Marketing: Learn the Step by Step Guide of Creating, Growing & Optimizing your WordPress Blog from Scratch for Search Engines (SEO) & How to Make Money through Google AdSense, Affiliate Marketing & Other Strategies for Earning Passive Income Online. Lucrative Business Ideas Series Book 2. By Buzzer Joseph. Read more about the book.

How to Make Money Self-Publishing Kindle Books for Beginners: Learn the Step by Step Guide to Self-Publish a Best Selling Book on Amazon KDP, How to Design Book Covers with Adobe Photoshop, Format, Edit & Proofread your Book Manuscript with Microsoft Word, Promote your Book on Various Online Platforms & Earn Monthly Passive Income Online. Lucrative Business Ideas Series Book 3. By Buzzer Joseph. Read more about the book.

Complete Solar PV System Installation Guide: DIY guide on how to install grid-connected & off-grid solar PV systems, how to build solar-powered electric cars, convert conventional cars to electric cars, online & offline ways to make money from solar energy sector (including stocks), electrical wiring & protection system installation guides, plus free resources for skill acquisition and personal development. Lucrative Business Ideas Series Book 4. By Buzzer Joseph. Read more about the book.

How to Make Money from Crypto Trading & Investing for Beginners: Step by step guide with screenshots on the basics of blockchain technology, bitcoin & altcoins, crypto security tips, cryptocurrency market analysis (FA & TA), long term & short term trading, how to calculate your profits in excel, legit ways to make money with cryptocurrencies, DeFi yield farming & staking, how to use any centralized & decentralized exchange platform & more, plus crypto investment bonus! Lucrative Business Ideas Series Book 5. By Buzzer Joseph. Read more about the book.

Blockchain Practical Guide: Step by step guide with pictures, on how to monetize the latest blockchain technology trends: crypto trading & tools, especially Ethereum, DeFi, Staking, NFTs, Top 100 Play-to-Earn (P2E) & NFT games, Web 3.0, Metaverse, Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), blockchain job opportunities, with crypto investment bonus! Lucrative Business Ideas Series Book 6. By Buzzer Joseph. Read more about the book.

How to Make Money with Blockchain Web3 Apps: Step by Step Guide with Screenshots and Videos on How to Make Money from Blockchain and Web3 Projects – NFTs, Play-to-Earn (P2E) Games, Move-to-Earn (M2E) Apps, Watch-to-Earn (W2E) Apps, SocialFi and GameFi Apps, with crypto investment bonus! Lucrative Business Ideas Series Book 7. By Buzzer Joseph and Kelly Joseph. Read more about the book.