Solar power and greenhouse gases

Dramatic weather events are becoming more commonplace as the world continues the dangerous burning of fossil fuels. The adoption of solar energy across the globe is not happening fast enough. Climate scientists report alarming ice losses at the poles among many other environmental concerns. Fortunately, the rapid rise in solar power systems is making a dramatic change in fossil fuel consumption across the globe. Climate change is the main cause of renewable energy generation. Solar panels and wind turbines are an increasingly common sight everywhere. This article reports on the many positive impacts of clean energy.

Less global warming with solar energy

When looking for the source of global warming, we must be honest about our own energy consumption We are polluting our atmosphere with carbon dioxide and other global warming emissions. These gases trap heat. The result is a series of harmful effects, from more intense and more frequent storms, to drought, sea level rise, and extinction. In the United States, almost a third of global warming emissions originate from our electricity sector. Most of those emissions come from fossil fuels like coal and natural gas.

What is carbon dioxide and what is the problem with it?

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the most prevalent greenhouse gas, but other pollutants—such as methane—also cause global warming. Different energy sources produce different amounts of these pollutants. To make comparisons easier, we use a carbon dioxide equivalent, or CO2e—the amount of carbon dioxide required to produce an equivalent amount of warming.

Improved health through solar power

The air and water pollution emitted by fossil fuel plants is connected with breathing problems, neurological damage, heart attacks, cancer, and a host of other serious problems. The pollution affects everyone: one Harvard University study estimated the costs and health effects of coal to be an estimated $74.6 billion every year. 

Negative health impacts from pollution

The majority of these negative health impacts come from air and water pollution that clean energy technologies simply don’t produce. Wind, solar, and hydroelectric systems generate electricity with no associated air pollution emissions. Geothermal and biomass systems give off some air pollutants, though total air emissions are usually much lower than those of coal- and natural gas-fired power plants. It is also true that wind and solar energy require virtually no water to operate and thus do not pollute water resources or strain supplies by competing with agriculture, drinking water, or other water needs. Fossil fuels can have a significant impact on water resources. Powerful winds, sunny skies, abundant plant matter, heat from the earth, and fast-moving water can each provide a vast supply of energy.  Only a small portion of US electricity currently comes from these sources, but that could change: studies have regularly shown that renewable energy can provide a significant share of future electricity needs, even after accounting for potential constraints.

Explore the exciting world of solar energy!

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.