Thứ Bảy, 19 tháng 1, 2013

Challenges Faced By Solar Energy Use

Solar energy can easily be harnessed. But still, we are not seeing a massive use of this free energy. Despite the fact that efficient solar panels have been developed, the number of homes and establishments using solar energy for electrical power is still significantly lower as compared to those using electricity coming from the grid.
The reason for this is that there are still several main challenges that we need to face to ensure massive use of solar energy for our electrical consumption. The first challenge is the space needed for the installation of solar panels. Today, it is widely recommended to have 5 to 10 acres of land for ground-mounted system to produce a megawatt of electrical power. If you do not live in an area with a wide expanse of open land, you can opt to have the system mounted on your roof. For roof-mounted system, a 500,000 square foot surface is recommended. Also, the roof should not be more than 7 years old.
Another challenge in the way of common people is the cost of installation of the system. While many supporters of the wide adoption of solar energy for home use would argue that the cost of installation can easily be offset by the savings once can have in electrical bills, plenty of people just do not have the resources to support the installation of a solar energy system in their homes.
The technology available today may be way more advanced compared to what it was two or three years ago, it is still not efficient to provide enough energy for every square foot that the solar panels take up. This challenge though is being addressed seriously by companies designing and producing solar panels. In their race to provide the most efficient panels, the consumer, the common people, would be greatly benefited.
It is hard to set a timeframe when these ultra-efficient solar panels would hit the market. Fortunately, governments across the world are having more interest in the development of these solar cells. With their support, it would be easier for even start-up companies to receive funding thus increasing the chance that these efficient solar panels would hit the market sooner rather than later.
Another obstacle in the way of massive adoption of solar energy is the technical stuff that comes with operating it from your own home. It is not a simple kit that you just plug into your wall socket after all. The batteries that needed to be charged from the solar energy gathered by the solar panels should be connected to an intelligent charging system. The solar panels would also need some cleaning regularly to ensure that it receives as much sunlight as possible.
The good news is despite these challenges, the industry is moving forward at a blistering pace. Plenty of industrial facilities are now using solar energy to reduce their dependence in the electrical power supplied by the grid. As long as companies are supporting the use of this technology, better components would be designed which would then find their way in the consumer market ready for general consumption.
Noel Addison Agnote writes to promote social and environmental awareness. He encourages people to switch to renewable energy to power our homes and fuel many industries in our economy. Solar energy is a great choice for helping out your bills and helping keep the environment clean and safe.

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