Environmental Benefits
Five benefits of solar energy on the environment
Solar energy reduces harmful emissions caused by the burning of fossil fuels and improves the health of those around you for years to come. Some of the key environmental benefits of solar are as follows:
Less Water Usage
Solar panels do not require water to function, while conventional electricity sources use tens of thousands of liters of water every year. The power sector in India mainly utilizes plants for cooling generations, processing/refining fuel and transporting fuel through pipes.
Mitigates air pollution
Fossil fuels generate harmful gasses like methane and carbon dioxide which reduce the air quality. Air pollution can hinder our health and well being by causing anxiety, headaches, pneumonia, heart attacks, asthma, bronchitis, and allergies. Solar energy dramatically reduces carbon emissions in the air you breathe, which improves your overall health.
Slows down climate change
The burning of fossil fuels increases the presence of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere that contributes to enhanced greenhouse effect which is warming our planet faster than before. The consequent increase in global temperature results in the melting of glaciers, rising sea levels, which in turn causes a number of calamities like cyclones, frequent floods, extreme heat and drought. On the other hand, generating electricity from solar panels does not produce any greenhouse gases and therefore helps to slow down climate change.
Lowers consumption of fossil fuels
We have always largely depended on coal, oil and natural gas for our energy needs. Fossil fuels are finite in nature and cannot keep up with the increasing demand of energy and are major contributors for pollution. Solar energy, on the other hand, is abundant and can be endlessly harnessed to meet global energy consumption, reduce energy costs and ensure a stable energy future.
Reduces carbon footprint
The term ‘carbon footprint’ is used to account for the release of greenhouse gases, primarily carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere by a human activity. The major contributor towards carbon footprint is the use of fossil fuels. Alternatively, solar energy is one of the cleanest forms of energy. For every 1 megawatt-hour (MWh) of solar energy produced, 0.5 to 1 ton of carbon dioxide is offset.
