Solar power and climate change

The advent of global warming is driving scientists to investigate alternative energy sources that are sustainable and don’t harm the planet. Solar energy is a major renewable energy source with the potential to meet the challenges facing the world. There are many reasons to promote solar power in the energy market. This power source is increasing in popularity because it is versatile with many benefits to people and the environment.

Importance of solar energy to environmental protection

The earth gathers enough sunlight in one hour to meet the annual energy needs of all people worldwide according to National Renewable Energy Laboratory. In 2015 solar energy was the fastest growing energy sector with a 33% rise according to Bloomberg. The environmental advantages are the main focus in promoting solar energy.

Solar energy is clean and safe

Solar is an environmentally safe alternative that will replace current fossil fuels like coal and gas for generation of electricity that produces air, water, and land pollution. Fracking in the U.S. uses thousands of gallons of water mixed with chemicals for extraction. This contaminates the water used, along with nearby water bodies, and also causes earthquakes. Nuclear power pollutes water and land and has caused environmental disasters and excessive levels of radiation in many areas of the planet.  Solar energy will eliminate these hazards. 

Solar prevents the destruction of habitats

Fossil fuel production has resulted in many ecological problems and pristine forests are frequently destroyed for mining raw materials like fossil or nuclear fuels. Trees constantly use carbon dioxide from the air to make their food, and this carbon is then stored in them. When forests are used for mining raw materials for conventional energy, this major carbon sink disappears and also increases global warming. "Nine out of ten animals on land" live in forests, according to WWF, and a loss of habitats reduces their populations. Switching to solar power is important to keep these habitats intact for the animals who reside there as well as continue to keep the air clean.

Solar power combats climate change

The electric power sector accounted for 32% of U.S. total greenhouse gas emissions in 2012, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These emissions lead to a rise in global temperatures and changes in weather patterns leading to a cascade of unwanted effects. Heat waves and increase in disease-spreading insects cause health problems especially for vulnerable children and the elderly.
Climate change has led to increases in flooding and hurricanes due to unsettled weather patterns. Higher carbon dioxide concentration is making oceans more acidic and killing marine life. Global warming causes the extinction of species from Subarctic Boreal forests to tropical Amazon forests. Higher temperatures result in melting of polar ice caps, reducing habitats for wildlife and also increasing sea levels. This result is submersion and loss of land along the coast, displacing people.

The best way to reduce your carbon footprint is to install a solar energy system!

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.