The Problems with Solar Power
Solar power is the practice of harnessing sunlight and transforming that energy into usable power for daily practices. When solar panels are installed on roofs or in fields the more panels installed the more energy can be produced and used. That energy can be stored in a fuel cell/battery for later use or be sold to local utility companies for credit. However, solar power does have its drawbacks. Unlike other sources of renewable energy that can be produced continuously, sunlight can only be harnessed from sunrise to sunset, and only during the midday hours do you get sufficient performance. Those wishing to install solar systems for their homes or businesses must be aware of these issues. Complete reliance on solar energy is risky as many factors like weather and shadows inhibit performance. As technology companies compete to invent a more efficient solar panel, the consumer could be the one paying the ultimate price.
To examine the problem of solar power this paper is arranged to provide a section of historical context followed by four different sources regarding the issues and concerns of solar energy. The first source will target the concern over the reliability of adequate sunlight to produce a vast amount of energy that would make it worth it for the consumer. In the second source, flawed policies set forth by politicians to help protect future infrastructure demands will be examined. Followed by the underwhelming results of an experiment conducted in India where rural villages gained access to solar in the third source. Lastly, the limitations of solar-powered generators in response to Hurricane Ida will be analyzed.
HISTORICAL CONTEXT
Sunlight was first used as a source of energy when it was discovered that objects that can magnify the light can create heat and eventually fire. As humans evolved during the late 1800’s Charles Fritts is credited with creating the first solar cells that were able to produce electricity. A massive milestone in the progress of solar technology was the implementation of solar panels on many small satellites that were sent to space and these solar panels were successful in powering the computer systems of the satellite. In recent times amidst the ongoing climate change crisis, tax incentives have been deployed to make homeowners more willing to install solar systems on their homes. These incentives have been used to justify the cost and potential savings that a solar system can provide for any homeowner.
Reliability of Sunlight. A critical issue with the practicality of solar power is the availability of sunlight in most parts of the world. Sunlight is only available for a certain amount of hours per day and solar production is impacted by many variables including poor weather or obstructions like shadows. In this article the author keys in on situations that would create issues with complete dependence on solar power. The author states, “Solar energy is mostly used in real-time, with any excess delivered back to the conventional utility grid or a battery” (The Pros and Cons of Solar Energy). In this case, by explaining the issue with solar right off the bat the audience sees a perspective against the use of solar due to these limiting factors. Since the audience has just read multiple points as to why solar is beneficial by making a strong counter-argument the reader is more likely to understand the pros and cons of solar. This contrast in standpoints can be beneficial to the target audience in this case being potential homeowners or solar enthusiasts considering purchasing a system for their property.
By writing this article the author’s purpose is clear, the author intends to make the audience aware of the several benefits of solar but also more importantly why it is not as great as it may seem. In the conclusion of the article, the author states, “Every situation is different, depending on location, home, local solar incentives, availability of experienced solar installers, and home energy usage. But overall, home solar systems provide a major financial benefit to homeowners through energy cost savings” (The Pros and Cons of Solar Energy). The author does not intend to be directly one-sided in the arguments and discusses extremely valid points for both sides. In doing so the message is clear and portrayed well throughout the reading. This article was posted in September 2021, amidst ongoing solar infrastructure upgrades set forth by Governor Kathy Hochul, and promises made by President Biden to better the renewable energy infrastructure across the United States. As solar energy and other forms of renewable energy have become more sustainable and practical many societies have started to adopt and accept these practices because the benefits are becoming more evident as technology increases.
Solar Policies. Catherine Crisp of the Chicago Policy Review had her article published by the University of Chicago Graduate School of Public Policy Studies which addressed the future of storage technologies and the upside new technology will provide. Crisp’s article elaborates on another study published by economists which focused on the market upside of energy storage services so as a result, her targeted audience would be those concerned with the market’s future when energy storage services become available. This audience could be potential consumers of this product or those looking to capitalize on this new corner of the market. Throughout her article, she was rather optimistic about the industry and what advantages new technology will bring. Her purpose is to discuss the upside while making sure the audience understands her concerns about policies that control the current environment set forth by politicians. Crisp’s article was published by the University of Chicago Graduate School, given the fact that she works for the Chicago Policy Review and not the university her article could have been published elsewhere however her article seems to have been peer-reviewed by a member of the university. She mentions, “Large-scale deployment of these technologies will be critical for balancing a rapidly growing portfolio of variable energy resources. With this in mind, policymakers need to think more critically about the policy, regulations and market reforms required” (Crisp par. 5). The author is very optimistic regarding what these new technologies and ways of life can truly benefit many yet Crisp remains cautious about the policymakers potentially restricting these practices or tarnishing them. This article was published in late 2018 so a few weeks after this article was posted the national tax incentive for homeowners began the final year before it was decreased from thirty percent to twenty-six percent. In the calendar year of 2018 American homeowners increased solar production by sixteen percent so it is clear that many homeowners were pleased with advancements in technology at that time.
Solar Dependence. This article was posted in Science Advances magazine VOL. 3, NO.5, and the authors of this piece are Aklin, Bayer, Harish, and Urpelainen all of who are professors for various universities including Pitt, NYU, Columbia, and the University of Glasgow. The purpose of this article is to present evidence-based upon an experiment that provided a rural village in India access to electricity via solar power. The authors’ tone for this article is informative and perplexed and the audience would be those interested in solar technologies’ practicality in villages that have never used electricity before. They present their findings but also note that they did not expect these results when they allowed the experiment to happen over a year versus months. Their findings were, “On the other hand, the socioeconomic effects were underwhelming. Within a year of implementation, the intervention did not contribute to social or economic development more broadly. Although the intervention improved access to modern energy, it did not have transformative effects on village economies or social life”(Aklin et al. par. 21). This article would have been better suited in an audio format like a podcast versus a magazine entry as I believe their results would have been better understood had they been heard versus read. This article was posted May 17th, 2017, when solar prices in India plummeted to undercut the fossil fuel industry which had major implications for the future of solar energy in the region. Indian citizens were now able to afford solar systems much easier than ever before providing a new way of life for a country dealing with polluted waterways and air.
Solar Limitations. PR Newswire published a news article about supplying solar generators to neighborhoods of Louisiana that were hardest hit by Hurricane Ida. Solar companies PosiGen, and New Orleans Solar Company teamed up to supply communities with power in the aftermath of the storm. The audience would be those concerned about the recovery of this region in the wake of a hurricane that caused billions of dollars worth of damage and left millions without power. The tone is serious and the entire news article is an account of what PosiGen and New Orleans Solar Company did for this particular region. This information was delivered in an electronic newspaper source but I believe that a television interview would have done this even more justice and been way better at describing the impact the storm had on these communities. Within hours of the end of the storm, generators began to work: “They are being used by community volunteers to run refrigeration, ice makers, freezers, portable A/C’s, to set up cooling stations and charging stations” (PRNewswire, New Orleans Solar Company PosiGen teams up with the Footprint Project to deploy 12 solar power stations in hard-hit Ida Communities, par. 1). Although this author is a proponent of the actions taken by PosiGen and the New Orleans Solar Company, the author fails to recognize that their work is beneficial yet minuscule when it comes to the entire region. The solar generators were deployed to twelve different communities that were hit hard. Hurricane Ida caused severe damage to most of Louisiana and many states also so although their work is appreciated, it is really like a drop in the bucket for what still needs to be done. Most communities that were hard hit by Ida would’ve loved any support whatsoever but as a result of the scale of the damage caused to the region, many were left to figure it out.
CONCLUSION
After reviewing the sources from Sunpower Corp, Catherine Crisp, Aklin et. al, and PR Newswire it is clear that with many issues there are great positives and tremendous negatives. The advent of new technology should promote competition and allow customers to feel better when deciding on their solar purchase.
Works Cited
SunPower, Corporation. “The Pros and Cons of Solar Energy.” SunPower, 15 Sept. 2021, us.sunpower.com/pros-and-cons-solar-energy.
Crisp, Catherine. “Increasing the value of energy storage in the wholesale electricity market.” Chicago Policy Review, 11 Dec. 2018. Gale Academic OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A565328190/AONE?u=cuny_ccny&sid=bookmark-AONE&xid=48ae1df9. Accessed 26 Sept. 2021.
Aklin, Michael, et al. “Does Basic Energy Access Generate Socioeconomic Benefits?” Shibboleth Authentication Request, 17 May 2017, https://www-science-org.ccny-proxy1.libr.ccny.cuny.edu/doi/10.1126/sciadv.1602153. “New Orleans Solar Company PosiGen teams up with the Footprint Project to deploy 12 solar power stations in hard-hit Ida Communities.” PR Newswire, 10 Sept. 2021, p. NA. Gale OneFile: News, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A674944995/STND?u=cuny_ccny&sid=bookmark-STND&xid=d955e9f1. Accessed 26 Sept. 2021.
