Sustainable Solar: Exploring Innovations in Renewable Energy Technologies

Posted on Sep 04, 2023 at 11:09 PM

Every business in the industrial market today is looking to find a viable alternative to fossil fuel to generate power more effectively and sustainably.

Sustainable solar power might be the green power everyone is looking for today! 

What exactly is sustainable solar power?

Solar energy is widely regarded as one of the clean, renewable sources of energy for several reasons. Want to know why? Unlike fossil fuels, solar panels produce carbon emissions when generating electricity, making them far more environmentally friendly than other energy sources.

To elaborate, a solar panel (or a photovoltaic panel pv) harnesses the sun's rays to convert them into electricity, which can then be stored in batteries or used to power electric devices in homes.

Just how sustainable is solar energy?

This question has sparked a discussion (if not controversy) over time, especially when considering the economics of solar energy. Are panels genuinely sustainable in terms of both environmental and economic factors? Are they simply a marketing ploy? Should we genuinely invest in them? Finding a definitive answer remains elusive.

While it's widely believed that solar and wind power offer solutions for electricity production and storage, the extent of their sustainability is still up for debate. Let's see if we can determine the truth behind this;

Some claim that sustainable solar energy is merely a commercial ploy companies use to persuade consumers to purchase products. Here are the points they put forth to support their argument;

• They argue that solar systems have a significant economic effect, as they tend to be pricier than conventional electricity sources in terms of installation, maintenance, and overall expenses.

• The panels used to harness solar energy can be made from toxic materials that aren't easily recycled, raising concerns about their environmental impact and long-term economic viability.

• Solar systems are susceptible to damage from weather conditions, which can result in costly repairs and maintenance, adding to the economic considerations.

• Solar systems don't work during nighttime, which can lead to the necessity for additional energy storage solutions, further impacting the economics of solar energy.

• One solar farm requires lots of land that could otherwise be filled with plants and trees. Prompting questions about the opportunity cost and land use in the context of solar energy's economic feasibility.

On the other side of the spectrum, we have the widespread belief that solar is one of the most (If not THE most) sustainable ways to create a power source. These environmental enthusiasts say the following: 

• They say sustainable power generation does NOT produce greenhouse gas emissions (when you think about it, it's a very valid point)

• Solar doesn't contribute to global warming and climate change, whereas fossil fuels destroy the planet.

• Solar has no environmental effect worldwide; as far as the environment goes, they're safe to use. 

• A critical role of sustainable solar is that it's cost-effective and offers quality electricity generation and storage for a reasonable cost.

Innovations in Renewable Energy Technologies

From our previous discussions, it is evident that the development of sustainable solar power is crucial for it to be considered "sustainable truly". Each company in this business sector must strive to learn, improve and explore approaches to make the solar power supply chain more practical, easier to manage, and longer lasting.

How do we go about doing that? 

The best way to go about this is to find a solution for each cons argument and design a new form of solar systems that takes into consideration all these problems, for example: 

If you aim to make your sustainable solar solution widely embraced by the environmentalist community, it would be beneficial to focus on providing better outcomes by creating energy solutions for everyday challenges associated with solar photovoltaic systems.

Some of the techniques you can do to ensure your solar is sustainable include: 

• Developing solar cells that can last longer and are more resilient (this will also lead to lower energy costs)

• Creating a way to store energy produced by sun power so it can be used at night or when the weather isn’t sunny

• Building sustainable solar with more reliable material and a more robust and longer-lasting battery to store solar power for later use.

• Making your solar more efficient by improving its converting rate

• Solar panels are made from recycled materials and can be easily recycled again at the end of their life span.

• Designing a system so that no waste is produced during its lifetime. This means your solar PV system must be self-sufficient, relying on external power sources as little as possible.

•  Gaining more education on sustainable solar essentials by joining solar energy training courses in London -  These focused programs will teach you various subjects, including solar management, maintenance and concerns.

As you can see, sustainable solar technology is the future of sustainability; it has the potential to change the way we think about sustainability and its technologies. 

So here we say that companies must discover new ways to work with solar and make it more sustainable.