Everyone knows at this stage that solar power is energy derived from the sun. If you want a semi technical break down read on, if not maybe skipping to the following paragraph on pros and cons will be more enlightening….

Solar Power is the generation of electricity from sun light. This can be direct as with photovoltaics (PV), or indirect as with concentrating solar power (CSP), where the sun’s energy is focused to boil water which is then used to provide power. Solar power provided 0.02% of the total world energy consumption in 2008. The largest solar power plants, like the 354 MW SEGS, are concentrating solar thermal plants, but recently multi-megawatt photovoltaic plants have been built. Completed in 2008, the 46 MW Moura photovoltaic power station in Portugal and the 40 MW Waldpolenz Solar Park in Germany appear to be characteristic of the trend toward larger photovoltaic power stations. Even larger ones are in development.

The main component of the solar water heating system is what is known as a “collector”. The function of the collector is to collect the energy falling upon it and transfer it in the form of heat to the fluid in the collector. There are many different types of collectors but the majority of collectors fall within the categories (a) Flat Panel collectors  or (b) Evacuated tube collectors.

Although it may not seem like it sometimes, each square metre (m2) of Irish land receives an average of around 3 kWh (kilowatt hours) per day of energy from the sun throughout the year; with higher values during summer or on sunny days, and lower values in winter or on cloudy days. Solar water heating systems capture the energy from the sun and convert it into a form which can be used in homes and businesses.

Pros and Cons

Solar Energy Pros

• Solar panels are non pollutive; the only pollution produced as a result of solar panels is the manufacturing of these devices in factories, transportation of the goods, and installation.
• Solar Power produces Energy silently – noise pollution as well as atmospheric pollution is eradicated.
• Solar power can harness energy effectively despite the remoteness of the location. Rural areas or locations not suited to wind energy are always suited to solar energy, unless you live in a cave, in which case you’ll be more worried about hibernating bears than heating your shower water.
• The installation of solar panels in remote locations is usually much more cost effective than laying the required high voltage wires.
• Solar energy can be very efficient in a large area of the globe, and new technologies allow for a more efficient energy production on overcast/dull days.
• Rooftop placement means that finding space isn’t usually an issue.
• The payback period is relatively quick – it’s cost effective.
• And most importantly but often ignored due to pecuniary pressures is the positive impact on the environment and our contribution to the sustainability of our eco systems.

Solar Energy Cons:

The major con, as you might expect, is the cost. Purchase and insulation is expensive and like any investment you really need to assess your financial situation before you commit to the refurbishment.

• You will make your money back on these investments
• You will be comfortable in your home
• The value of your home will increase as a result
• You will make a positive contribution to the environment

But you should still try to ensure that you’re comfortable with financial commitment. At EnergySolve we will advise you on the cost of the total investment and the payback period you can expect. We will at all times endeavour to make sure the client is comfortable with the financial outlay.

• Solar energy is only able to generate electricity during daylight hours. This means for around half of each day, solar panels are not producing energy for your home.
• The weather can affect the efficiency of solar cells.
• Pollution can be a con of solar energy, as pollution levels can affect a solar cells efficiency, this would be a major con for businesses or industry wishing to install solar panels in heavily polluted areas, such as cities.

Economic Benefits of Solar Power

The amount of daily energy used to produce hot water (used for cooking, cleaning, baths, showers etc) for each person in Ireland is 2-4 kilowatts per hour (kWh). The cost to produce this hot water may be as high as 12.56 cents per kWh, especially if using an electric immersion heater and applying the standard domestic ESB tariff, including VAT. For a 4-member family, (4 persons x 4 kWh x 12.56 cents) the cost of producing this energy could be more than €2 per day, or more than €730 for each  year. Using solar thermal energy, you can reduce these costs by up to 30-50%, while helping the environment.

Environmental Benefits of Solar

Using the example above, this could mean an annual saving of about €365 on water heating costs, a reduction of up to 2920 kWh of fossil-fuel derived energy, and a reduction of up to 2.26 tonnes of CO² (i.e. 1 unit of electricity causes the emission of 0.7758 kg of CO²).

To put this CO² saving into context, the Irish Government’s ‘National Climate Change Strategy – October 2002′ has an indicative CO² reduction for the built environment and residential of 0.9 Million Tonnes (Mt) or 900,000 Tonnes (t) of CO². Using a CO² savings figure of 2.26 tonnes per dwelling, if 400,000 Irish dwellings had solar thermal panels installed, this target would be reached without any other additional measures. At 1.5 m² of solar panel per person, an average dwelling would require 1.5 x 4 m² of panel or 6 m² in total. 400,000 dwellings x 6 m² would equate to 2.4 million m² of solar panels.

For more info on the purchase and installation of solar panels, contact Energysolve