Solar power and pollution

Thanks to improvements in solar technology, it's easier than ever to be green.
Solar panels and electric vehicles (EVs) are two excellent examples of technologies that can help people minimize their carbon footprint, without sacrificing comfort or having to radically change their daily behavior. But the question remains: How much of an environmental benefit do these technologies actually produce? Are there other actions that owners of these technologies can take to minimize their pollution footprint even more?

A new study supports solar energy

A new paper by my colleagues and me, recently published in Energy Economics, attempts to answer these two questions for households in Austin, Texas. These homes are part of Pecan Street Inc., a living smart-grid laboratory with the largest customer energy-use database on the planet. Using household data from 2013-2015, we were able to track solar panel performance and EV use and match these actions in two important environmental impacts: water use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.The study confirms that Texas, using residential solar panels, consumes less water and pollutes the air less than using the central-grid power (based on its electricity sources during those years). Driving an EV instead of a gasoline vehicle generally reduces the household's water and emission footprint, even though EVs charge from the grid. Moreover, our analysis demonstrates how carefully examining energy-use data can aid us in making sure we're maximizing clean energy's benefits.

Energy-water connection

People already know that burning fossil fuels emits gases that pollute the air. But how is water affected/ Water is used to produce many forms of energy, including both fossil-fuel based electricity and gasoline? For power generation in a natural gas or coal plant, large quantities of water are used for process-related requirements, as well as to cool the plant. The production and refinement of gasoline also use a lot of water.  Calculations suggest that it takes about four gallons of water to produce one gallon of gasoline. Wind and solar PV,  need virtually no water to create power, and they do not emit GHGs or other pollutants in the process.

The solar findings show air pollution reduced with solar

Solar panels consume no water and emit no pollution, therefore, installing a solar panel allows a household to reduce the water use and air pollution associated with grid electricity.

To reduce your carbon footprint, install a solar energy system today!

Solar power is here to stay, and the sooner you explore how much you can save, the sooner you can enjoy the benefits of residential solar power. Go to HahaSmart.com and try our price checker tool. It tells you how much solar power you need, and how much you can save.

Please visit our solar blog to find out more about the benefits of going solar.