Solar power and global warming

The latest climate science shows that the dreadful projections of scientists didn't fully account for the emissions man continues to emit. The situation is larger than a few climate-related weather events. When the polar ice sheets melt at this rate, it causes sea level rise all over the globe. Several weather events this summer have caused alarm and scientists believe many of the weather patterns are directly affected by the sea temperature rise. Scientists report that more than 90 percent of the excess heat trapped by greenhouse gas emissions has been absorbed into our oceans. Those oceans cover 66% of the planet's surface.

This accrued heat is "really the memory of past climate change," said Kevin Trenberth, the head of climate analysis at the National Center for Atmospheric Research and co-author of a new paper on ocean warming. The entire amount of warming on our planet is significant but it's also the pace of the warming that concerns scientists. The rate at which the oceans are heating has nearly doubled since 1992, and that heat is affecting progressively deeper waters, according to a recent study. Meanwhile, concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have been developing.

Climate scientists agree on climate change

Climate scientists proclaim that the accumulation of heat in the oceans is the most powerful evidence of how swift the earth is warming. This is due to heat-trapping gases discharged by the burning of fossil fuels. Oceans have an immense capacity to retain heat. So ocean temperatures, unlike temperatures on land, don't fluctuate much from natural forces, such as El Niño/La Niña patterns or volcanic eruptions. As night falls on land, air temperatures match. However, in the oceans, temperatures change little. This makes it a little easier to estimate the influence of human-caused climate change from other possible causes of rising ocean heat.

According to research by Trenberth and Lijing Cheng, of the Institute for Atmospheric Physics in Beijing, the heat storage in the oceans during 2015 and 2016 amounted to a compelling force: an increase of 30.4 X 1022 joules of energy roiling Earth's systems since 1960. The overload is helping throw off Earth's energy balance, needed for the climate to be mostly stable. Put another way: The excess energy amassed in the oceans since 1992 is roughly equivalent to 2,000 times U.S. electricity generation during the past ten years, the researchers suggested.

Ocean temperatures steadily rising

Ocean temperatures have been rising about 0.12 degrees Celsius per decade on average over the past fifty years. The higher ocean temperatures are driving marine life toward the poles in search of survivable habitats, bleaching coral reefs, and causing severe consequences on fisheries and aquacultures. They also contribute to more frequent and intense extreme weather events. In the three back-to-back deadly hurricanes of 2017—Harvey, Irma, and Maria—warmer waters played a role in strengthening the storms.

What steps can I take to lessen my carbon footprint?

The first and most effective step is to install a solar energy system on your home or business. Since solar panel costs are falling, there is never likely to be a better time to go solar. Incentives and rebates are in place to make this transition easier for consumers. If you are not able to invest in solar, use energy more efficiently. There are solar farms available in some communities where you can share solar panels with others.

If you want to move into the future and join the solar revolution, or if you want to find out what solar panels are right for you, visit our solar blog section for more handy guides and articles

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