The Myriad Benefits of Solar Energy
In this day and
age when smog and global warming are now threatening
to destroy both our man-made and natural habitats
(and us along with the environment) due to
the consequences of using fossil fuels whose
emissions are quite harmful, a ray of light
exists when it comes to finding emission-free
energy sources. And that ray of light is solar
energy itself.
Solar energy is abundant and access to the
supply source is free and open to all. Solar
energy is perceived as a renewable energy
source, perhaps even the most dominant renewable
energy source around because it is very likely
our Sun will still be blazing for at least
the next century. It is generally agreed upon
by most experts that long after our fossil
fuel supplies have been drained to the last
black drop, solar energy will still be available.
So it makes sense to explore the potential
of solar energy for human usage.
One benefit of switching to solar energy is
that our other energy supplies can still be
reserved for those times when we really need
them. For instance, if we tap into solar energy
to heat homes in cold countries, that means
forests, coal mines, and fossil fuels can
be preserved or at least used less frequently
as sources of fuel. Using less wood, coal,
and fossil fuels (like diesel and gasoline)
also means we create less emissions that will
contribute further to greenhouse warming when
emitted. And that is good news for those panicking
that global warming will worsen to catastrophic
levels in this century alone.
It is also a no-brainer that solar energy
is cleaner than nuclear energy which is a
main source of energy for some First World
countries – cleaner in the sense that
there are no by-products with solar energy
collection as there are with nuclear energy
production. You also feel much safer handling
solar energy systems during a catastrophe
(like an earthquake) than the prospect of
having to deal with the after-effects of that
earthquake hitting a nuclear power production
facility. In the Philippines, the Bataan Nuclear
Power Plant is a prime example of why nuclear
power plants should never be built over earthquake
faults – the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant
has never been made operational after being
built and the Philippines is still paying
for the cost of constructing this risky and
very expensive white elephant. It was never
put into use after public watchdogs pointed
out that running the power plant could result
in tragedy many times over should an earthquake
hit the area.
Though solar energy technology is not yet
perfect and there is still much to be done
towards research about how to make the technology
better and more user-friendly, solar energy
offers hope for the human race that we can
still survive even when our current fuel supplies
and sources can no longer provide what we
need – if we tap into solar energy the
right way and to a greater magnitude than
we are doing now, that is.
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