Should the use of solar power be encouraged?

The introduction of alternative energy like solar power aims to decrease the impact humans have on biodiversity due to the issue of enhanced greenhouse effect. Solar power is electricity generated from the levels of natural energy contained within the sun’s rays . Supporters of solar power maintain that this energy source is able to lower greenhouse gases as it is a natural resource that does not require further processing. It can be supplemented entirely or partially which may possibly rule out the use of fossil fuels. Solar power is an infinite energy source which reduces the world’s reliance on fossil fuels. Opponent’s claims that solar power is not constant, it contributes to Global Warming as the production of solar panels used in generating solar power create pollution and is costly.
There is a great need for alternative renewable energy such as solar power as the world’s reliance on fossil fuels increases the levels of greenhouse gas emissions. 86% of primary energy used is generated from burning fossil fuels . Due to the large consumption of fossil fuels utilised in providing electricity, fuelling transport, and heating and cooling,large quantities of carbon or hydrocarbons, and carbon dioxide is released when fossil fuels such as petroleum and coal are burned. Approximately 21 billion tons of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere yearly which is too much for the atmosphere of Earth to neutralise or utilise naturally. The production of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels is one of the most significantly contributing greenhouse gases. The increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is creating a significant rise in global temperature which is a direct link between fossil fuels and enhanced Global Warming. Global Warming has a substantial impact on biodiversity. As the climate warms due to enhanced Global Warming, the location of the climatic envelopes will shift considerably which may possibly result in extinction of species . Species must move with the changing climate envelopes by migrating to cooler environments. An example of this is a species of Alpacas situated on a lower part of mountain migrate further up the mountain due to rising temperatures. The habitat higher up on the mountain may not be suitable for the Alpacas and the movement of the Alpacas may disrupt the habitats of other species .The impact will not only affect animals species but also plants and flowers.
Solar power is one of many solutions in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Solar power works by using photovoltaic systems which convert sunlight directly into electricity through solar panels.
Sunlight hits the photovoltaic panels which are arranged on rooftops and are absorbed by the silicon solar cells. The electrons produced by the silicon solar cells create a direct current (DC) which then runs from the solar panels into an inverter . The inverter converts the electricity into an alternating current (AC). The AC current is then used to power everyday electrical items in the home or business. Excess power produced is fed back into the grid which effectively turns the electricity metre backwards .

Supporters of solar power uphold that this renewable energy source is able to lower the volume of greenhouse gases as it does not require further processing from its original form. Unlike fossil fuels, solar power is generated straight from the solar cells in the solar panels and this process does not create pollution. The efficiency of an inverter is approximately 95% and an efficiently solar powered home is able to create between 75 and 100% of its own electricity . The relatively high percentage of efficiency of solar power without creating greenhouse gases and pollution is one of many reasons why solar power should be encouraged.
Furthermore, solar power is a versatile source of energy as it can supplement entire or partial energy consumptions . A whole house or business can run entirely on solar power or solar power can be combined with another source of alternative energy. There are a large variety of ways in which solar power can be used. It can be used to heat water, heat swimming pools and central heating for the home . From simple things such as lights, battery chargers, and solar-powered signs to complex objects such as cars and satellites all use electricity generated from solar power. By switching basic appliances to run on solar energy, it will collectively make a difference in reducing the human impact on biodiversity. Due to the versatility of solar power and its variety in ways it can be utilised, solar power should be encouraged as an alternative energy source to fossil fuels.
The supply of solar power is infinite and sustainable which is a great advantage for an alternative energy source. Unlike fossil fuels, solar power is generated from a natural and infinite source that will be readily available. The constant availability is important for future generations as fossil fuels are non-renewable and there are limited supplies which will deplete in the future. Mining fossil fuels has a large impact on the environment, whereas solar power does not need to be processed any further than capturing solar rays with solar cells. The sustainability and infinite supply of solar power is another advantage of switching from fossil fuels to an alternative energy source such as solar power.

Opponents maintain that solar power is not a reliable source of energy as the intensity of sunlight that arrives at the Earth’s surface is not constant. The quantity of sunlight varies depending on the location, time of day, time of year and weather conditions. The presence of photochemical smog and pollution also interrupts the flow of sunlight. If countries with limited access to sunlight were encouraged to use solar energy, they would have difficulty producing a constant supply of solar power. Even though solar power is infinite and renewable, without there being a constant supply of sunlight, there must be a use of other energy sources. The other energy sources incorporated with solar power may release greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen oxide, therefore contributing to Global Warming. The efficiency of solar panels used to generated electricity is approximately 10-15%. Therefore, for a strong power supply to be produced, a large surface area is essential. As solar power is an unstable source of alternative energy, it is unable to be used as a sole source of energy.
The production of solar panels releases harmful toxins into the environment. The manufacturing of solar or photovoltaic cells require potentially toxic heavy metals including lead, cadmium, and mercury , and greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen oxide are released contributing to photochemical smog. Although solar power is a natural energy source, the manufacturing of solar panels releases greenhouse gases which are linked to Global Warming. With the increasing popularity of using solar energy, there will be an increase in manufacturing of solar panels which then in turn creates potentially toxic chemicals and becomes useless in decreasing human’s impact on biodiversity.
Opponents of the use of solar power advocate that the cost of installing the use of solar power into the home or businesses is too costly. Due to this cost, people are selecting cheaper and less environmentally- friendly sources of energy. When considering transferring to an alternative energy source such as solar power, the cost of materials, installation, maintenance and the benefit must be taken into account. To switch to solar power there must be an evaluation on how much electricity is expended in the household or business and the location and amount of direct sunlight available. Due to the cost and many other variables in the installation and running of solar power, people prefer a less expensive and a more reliable source of energy which may not be an environmentally-friendly option.

Solar power should be encouraged as an alternative energy source to fossil fuels. It is as solar energy is a sustainable, renewable and a pollutant free source of energy which is very versatile and has a minimal influence on increasing the rate of Global Warming. However, solar power cannot be singularly used to combat Global Warming. A range of alternative energy sources should be implemented at the same time in order to reduce the overall effect fossil fuels have on the environment as solar power alone cannot do this.