Is Solar Energy Renewable?

Renewable energy is front and centre these days, with homeowners and businesses looking for ways to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels and add more renewable energy sources to their daily routines. Solar energy has also become popular, with people wondering whether this power source qualifies as renewable.

Find the answer to this common question, a breakdown of the seven primary renewable energy sources, and a look into the advantages and disadvantages of solar power below.

Solar energy is a clean, green, renewable source of energy. It qualifies as renewable because the energy comes from the sun, which comes out every day consistently and will never deplete. Renewable resources must come from natural resources that replenish themselves, such as wind, sunlight, and water. 

It also qualifies as clean and green energy—although these terms are often used interchangeably with renewable, they technically mean different things. Green or clean energy refers to power sources that don’t produce harmful carbon emissions when produced and used. All green energy is renewable, but not all renewable resources are green.

Humans have harnessed solar power since the third century, with the first solar cell technology developed in the 1800s. However, it wasn’t until modern times that solar energy became accessible, affordable, and widely available.

Solar panels have become much more efficient and cheaper to produce, making them a feasible investment for homeowners and business owners. Although they’ve become more common, they have minimal environmental impact. For context, a solar-powered system may produce 40 grams of carbon dioxide per kWh in its lifetime, while a power plant emits over 1,000 grams per kWh in a lifetime. Power plants run constantly, while solar power may not, contributing to a much higher environmental impact.

So, why is renewable energy vital? Fossil fuels and other non-renewable fuel sources harm the environment, including plants, wildlife, and delicate ecosystems worldwide. Replacing non-renewable sources with renewable power will slow environmental damage and protect natural resources.

• Solar energy: Solar is one of the most common forms of renewable power today. It uses photovoltaic solar cells to capture the sun’s rays and convert them into electricity, which is then sent directly to the grid or a building’s electrical system.
• Wind: Wind power uses large turbines in areas with high wind to capture the power created by air movement and turn it into usable electricity. One wind turbine can power an entire home or business, while larger wind farms can run entire cities or small countries.
• Hydroelectric: Just as we can capture wind power, we can also capture the power created when moving water pushes turbines. As the water spins the turbines, the turbines generate electricity. The most effective forms of hydroelectric power are typically dams, artificial waterfalls, and fast-flowing rivers.
• Geothermal: There’s significant heat trapped underneath the Earth’s crust, which causes geysers and volcanoes due to this heat escaping. By intentionally digging channels in the earth, we can leverage this heat to create power, known as geothermal energy.

• Ocean: The ocean is mighty, and we can use it to create another form of renewable energy. One way is thermal power, which captures heat from the surface and cold water from deeper points to run an engine. The other method is mechanical or wave energy, which takes advantage of the natural flow of the tides.
• Biomass: Biomass is organic material from plants or other living organisms. When burned, biomass produces heat. Alternatively, biomass can decompose and create methane gas, which can be used as fuel.
• Hydrogen: This is the last form of renewable energy. It’s a secondary byproduct of other renewable electricity. Running the excess through water tanks creates hydrolysis, which splits water molecules into oxygen and hydrogen. The hydrogen can then be used and stored in batteries. Several car models currently run on hydrogen fuel cells.

Solar energy has many benefits for the people using it and the planet around us.

Using PV panels instead of grid power will reduce overall usage and monthly electricity costs.

With the UK’s Smart Export Guarantee scheme, you can sell excess energy back to the central grid and get paid for it or earn credits on your electric bills.

Solar power is a renewable energy source, so using it instead of electricity from fossil fuels reduces the negative impact on the environment. The sun creates no harmful emissions.

Once installed, solar power systems require very little maintenance. You may have to clean the solar panels occasionally to remove debris and dirt, but otherwise, they take care of themselves.

Reduce your reliance on the electricity grid and buffer you from power outages by producing your own energy.

Once installed, built-in solar power systems add value to a home, which can be great when selling. It’s also an attractive draw for potential buyers who care about energy sustainability.

Solar power can’t be 100% environmentally friendly because energy and materials must be used in manufacturing, which requires fossil fuels, creates waste, and uses land. Panel parts are often made in factories that use non-renewable power sources, like coal. Additionally, the land where these factories are built displaces various wildlife species and plants and disrupts the natural ecosystem.

However, its overall environmental impact is much lower than fossil fuels, making it a better option and an environmentally friendly power source.

Once your system is set up and working, it no longer creates carbon dioxide emissions and only produces clean energy. Solar systems can last 20+ years and have a minimal environmental impact over their lifetime, making them a dramatically better choice for supporting the environment.

Nothing is without its drawbacks, including solar power. It’s not perfect, and these disadvantages should be considered. However, the benefits still far outweigh the cons.

Solar energy systems have a high initial cost. The panels, inverter, and battery storage unit are all expensive, and then you must also pay for installation and wiring. Total costs can range from a few thousand to tens of thousands of pounds, depending on the size of the system and battery capacity. If you already have a solar array installed, you can save by adding on a home battery storage like the EcoFlow Power Ocean DC Fit.

Solar panels only work when sunlight is available. Their efficiency declines when it’s cloudy or rainy outside, and they cannot produce new energy after the sun goes down.

Solar energy storage is an expensive component. If you want to use solar power when the sun isn’t shining, you’ll need to invest in a home battery storage system like the EcoFlow Power Ocean (Single-Phase) or EcoFlow Power Ocean (Three-Phase). The greater the capacity, the more energy you can store, and the more the battery costs. Using grid energy at night may become more economical to minimise the energy storage you need.

Solar energy systems require space on site to be set up. Most people install the photovoltaic arrays on rooftops, but they can also be set up in yard space if available. Not all roofs can accommodate the required array size, and yards may not be large enough to hold them. The most suitable homes for solar power have ample roof or yard space.

As we mentioned earlier, there are still concerns over the pollution created by PV panel production. The manufacturing process may produce emissions and use hazardous materials, so solar electricity is not a 100% environmentally friendly source.

Photovoltaic solar power is currently the most promising and rapidly expanding source of renewable energy. It’s abundant, accessible, and increasingly affordable, and it requires minimal maintenance while providing years of savings and environmental benefits. As the technology continues to develop, it will likely become more readily available and affordable.

Solar panels are the cheapest way to produce electricity to power your home. Without on-site solar generation, your local electric grid may be the most affordable way. However, to determine the most affordable route, you’d need to compare the cost per unit for different energy sources, such as grid power, hydropower, and other options.

Solar is one of the most popular and easily accessible forms of renewable energy today. It produces no carbon emissions when generating power, provides long-term cost savings by reducing grid reliance and providing free electricity, and protects the environment. However, it’s not a perfect solution—it involves high upfront costs, only works when the sun is out, and requires space on the roof or yard for a solar array.

Solar battery storage is one way to create a more reliable and efficient system by creating a place to store excess solar energy produced during the daytime that you can use later at night, when the sun is obstructed, or when the grid goes out. Consider adding the EcoFlow PowerOcean DC Fit retrofit home battery storage solution to enhance your renewable solar energy system.