PV Gap

Brett Said:

what are the advantages and disadvantages of solar powered energy?

We Answered:

The capital cost of solar is high but the running costs are very low. Solar panels can now last 30 years. Solar power is only available during the day time. Grid feed solar can eliminate the need for batteries. Feed in Tariffs can pay you back a premium for green power. Solar power return on investment is dependant on world location, aspect and pitch. Solar power can reduce the use of generator fuels in remote locations.

Janet Said:

What are the advantages/disadvantages of sustainable energy sources such as solar, wind and water power.?

We Answered:

Environmental issues are important and sustainable energy is high on that list.
However, for it to move from a philosophical discussion to practical mass applications every one needs to be involved. The masses talk the talk but do not walk the walk in many areas.
So from a purely consumer point of view, they worry about their own pocket book.
Advantage:
1) One time cost of the system. (Engineer your solar system correctly and you may have no power bills.)
2) No worry about rising power cost.
Disadvantage:
1) High initial startup cost. ($40K of solar panels on your roof hurts the pocket book)
2) Uncertainty of new technologies. (I know many of them have been out for years but just not implemented greatly - so some people still worry needlessly)
3) Wind turbines make noise - I kind of think is sounds cool but some people complainabout the looks and sound of them.
4) Wind turbines can kill birds. - Sad but true- Solutions may be fourth coming to negate this.
5) Water turbines need rain. - Good companion with Solar Cells

Jon Said:

what are the advantages and disadvantages of solar, wind, hydro, and geothermical energy?

We Answered:

The advantages of solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal are that they are clean and renewable. Those energies are also ubiquitous meaning they are everywhere and widely available. The disadvantages is that they are expensive and have little output. At this point in time, we do not have the technology to harness these power sources to produce baseload generation. Fossil fuels are cheap and have dense output.

Miguel Said:

what are advantages and disadvantages of solar energy?

We Answered:

advanteges would be it is a infinit energy source and it is very convient on the other side it is expenisve to build them and also the solar pannels do not capture 100% of the suns energy if that were to go up we would be running on solar energy right now if that was the case!

Priscilla Said:

the advantages and disadvantages of using solar energy?

We Answered:

Advantages
1.The 122 petawatts of sunlight reaching the earth's surface is plentiful compared to the 13 terawatts of average power consumed by humans.Additionally, solar electric generation has the highest power density (global mean of 170 W/m2) among renewable energies.
2.Solar power is pollution free during use. Production end wastes and emissions are manageable using existing pollution controls. End-of-use recycling technologies are under development.
Facilities can operate with little maintenance or intervention after initial setup.
3.Solar electric generation is economically competitive where grid connection or fuel transport is difficult, costly or impossible. Examples include satellites, island communities, remote locations and ocean vessels.
4.When grid connected, solar electric generation can displace the highest cost electricity during times of peak demand (in most climatic regions), can reduce grid loading, and can eliminate the need for local battery power for use in times of darkness and high local demand; such application is encouraged by net metering. Time-of-use net metering can be highly favorable to small photovoltaic systems.
5.Grid connected solar electricity can be used locally thus minimizing transmission/distribution losses (approximately 7.2%).
6.Once the initial capital cost of building a solar power plant has been spent, operating costs are low when compared to existing power technologies.).

Disadvantages
1.Polysilicon Solar cells are costly, requiring a large initial capital investment, and silicon shortages raise prices. Costs are expected to come down, however, due to increased manufacturing, economies of scale and Balance of System planning. Thin film technology uses less silicon; and Lease/Rental options* are currently being introduced.
2.Limited power density: Average daily insolation in the contiguous U.S. is 3-9 kWh/m2 usable by 7-17.7% efficient solar panels.
3.To get enough energy for larger applications, a large number of photovoltaic cells is needed. This increases the cost of the technology and requires a large plot of land.
4.Like electricity from nuclear or fossil fuel plants, it can only realistically be used to power transport vehicles by converting light energy into another form of stored energy (e.g. battery stored electricity or by electrolysing water to produce hydrogen) suitable for transport.
5.Solar cells produce DC which must be converted to AC when used in currently existing distribution grids. This incurs an energy loss of 4-12%.

Ella Said:

whats are advantages and disadvantages of solar energy?

We Answered:

I guess i'll have to expand on the above list to make people face the truth.
First of all, the Polysilicates usually make solar cells expensive, true. And in the manufacturing process of these panels to make one actually big enough to use, you do cause some polution. According to statistics, there is hardly any solar system that actually pays for itself. You will have to also maintain them to ensure that they panels do not build up a film due to rain, dust, debris. Some area's have unique problems like hurricanes in the Southeast, snowloads in the north and earthquakes in the west. a Solar system is basically a small electrical plant, in which you are using energy from the sun to charge up batteries, thus needing a charging system, a distribution system and the batteries themselves give off explosive gas if in a confined area while charging. 2% to 4% of the hydrogen atmosphere can be dangerous if using unsealed types. You will also usually require rewiring some of your house if you want to go low voltage. If not, then you need a DC to AC converter and enough battery capactiy to provide your electrical needs for such a conversion since transmission, conversion and regulation result in some loss. Then there's the hazmat issue in regards to the batteries when they need replacing.
The Advantages....if all runs well witout breakdowns, you can live off the grid, or supplement your use from the grid therefore making a lower electrical bill. You will have bragging rights....despite the system will probably never pay for itself. You might qualify for a discount or some kind of rebate...if the city you rin hasn't already quit the program or gone bankrupt because of it. You will have lights on when your neighborhood loses power due to a line being down.