Solar Energy and Greenhouse Emissions

The causes of climate change are well known by now and the earth is paying the price. Despite the solar revolution, pollution remains a huge problem for the planet. Renewable energy sources are gaining steam, but is it too late to heal the damage fossil fuels have caused? The earth receives nearly all of its energy from the sun in the form of ultraviolet rays and or infrared rays. Around half of the energy contained in those rays is absorbed by gases and the rest is reflected back to the clouds. The gases that absorb energy are generally known as greenhouse gases. One of their major roles is to maintain the ecosystem by maintaining the earth’s temperature at a roughly constant level. In this article, we discuss how solar energy can help to reduce greenhouse gases.

What are greenhouse gases?

Typically, greenhouses are glass structures that are used to grow plants in areas with cold temperatures. These glass structures absorb and trap the sunlight. Trapped sunlight results in a temperature increase, leading to proper growth of plants. These gases also work in exactly the same way: they keep the earth warm and at a constant temperature, capable of sustaining life. Greenhouse gases protect the earth from the extreme heat of the sun, which if left unchecked, could potentially burn down the earth.

The primary greenhouse gases present in the earth’s atmosphere are:

Water Vapor (H2O)

Carbon dioxide (CO2)

Methane (CH4)

Nitrous Oxide (N2O)

Ozone (O3)

CFC (chlorofluorocarbons).

Water Vapor contributes about 35 – 73% of the greenhouse gases, Carbon dioxide contributes to around 10 – 26%, Methane to around 5 – 10% and Ozone contributes to around 4– 8% of the greenhouse gases.

Sources of greenhouse gases

Following are the primary sources of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere. Electricity production contributes to carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions.

Transportation contributes to carbon dioxide.

Industry contributes to carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions.

Commercial and residential buildings contribute to carbon dioxide and chlorofluorocarbon emissions.

Agriculture contributes to carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions.

Land use and forestry contribute to carbon dioxide emissions.

How can solar energy reduce greenhouse emissions?

Estimates state that the average household with a solar installation in the USA produces about 11,000 kWh per year. This is the common energy usage per household in the US. If we deliver this energy by burning coal, the coal plant would emit 7.70 metric tons of CO2 per year or nearly 200 tons over the estimated lifetime of the solar PV system.

Solar energy reduces water pollution

Coal, natural gas, oil, and thermoelectric plants and nuclear energy require cooling, which means vast amounts of water. But there’s a problem: 72 percent of water pollution comes from coal-fired power plants, and pollution is linked to cancer, heart attacks, and neurological damage. Thankfully, there’s a solution. Generating energy from renewable sources instead of fossil fuels dramatically improves public health and river ecosystems. Solar energy doesn’t pollute local water resources, because solar panels don’t rely on water to generate power. The result is cleaner drinking water for your home or business without wasting energy.

Solar energy reduces air pollution

Employing solar energy systems can mitigate part of the damage because solar panels don’t produce any greenhouse gases when generating electricity. Nearly a third of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States comes from electricity production. This is a shocking statistic, especially when methane and carbon dioxide emissions are major contributors to global warming. Greenhouse gases reduce air quality and increase weather extremes such as the wildfires in California and droughts all over the planet.

For more information relating to going solar, don't forget to visit our solar blog section for more handy guides and articles.

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