Does Solar Energy Help the Environment?

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Comment by AJAY SINGH on July 9, 2009 at 8:25am

solar energy helps to protect the environment in major way..
No other energy can be as environment-friendly as the Solar Energy. This natural resource does not pollute the air when being converted into electricity by solar panels or other thermal devices. Industrial or electric power plants which run on electricity produce carbon emissions that pose as a hazard for the environment and all the living beings. If you are concerned about the serious effects of Global Warming, think again. Solar energy is the savior here as it does not produce greenhouse effect which is the major cause of global warming.

Comment by Dr. Erica Goodstone on July 9, 2009 at 8:06am

The question is, how can we access solar energy in our own home or office environment?

Comment by Philip Schulthies on July 9, 2009 at 8:03am

Kemal, If you are needing whse or manufacturing in the Indiana us area, Let me know. Thanks Phil

Comment by Ralph Arcamone Jr. on July 9, 2009 at 7:51am

Good Morning Gurminder, I'm afraid the hype around going green has become so political as to threaten our very existance. Solar power and wind combined only amount to less than 1% of our energy usage in the U.S.A. This is not to say that research and developement in the area of alternative enery should not be explored and implemented. Unfortunately our current system cannot be turned off like a switch without creating devestating consequences.

With the Cap and trade bill passing the House and currently in the Senate we are living in a veritable Disneyland in this country where fuel prices remain relatively low and the general public has turned it's attention to other matters such as the unemployment rate of almost 10% (Really 18% if you count those who have run out of benefits) and the economy in general. If this cap and trade bill is passed in the Senate it will surely be signed by Obama whose real adgenda is to bankrupt the U.S. Economy so that he can run to the rescue and take over another peice. I remain puzzled at the ignorance of the members of the House and Senate that they would damage this great country in return for Government power.

This cap and trade bill is nothing more than a huge tax on carbon useage in the name of a global warming farce prepetrated by Al Gore and his cronies. John Coleman the founder of the weather channel along with 30,000 Scientists has recently sued Al Gore for global warming fraud, we'll see where that goes but the science of late is in Colemans Favor ( Apparent cooling since 2000-01).

The subject of new jobs is being associated with Cap & Trade, another misleading statistic. The loss of jobs in the current energy field will dwarf any new "green " jobs associated with the production and implementation of solar or wind power. Most of the production is currently overseas.

I recently built a new home and explored some of the new technologies in an attempt to save money more than anything. Solar power is a poor alternative at best. It does not produce enough energy to justify it's implementation and costs. Wind is a better alternative but only if your location lends itself to wind access and you have enough land. One alternative that seems efficient is Geothermal. All of the componets are currently available now and the systems can save you a ton of money. This would have been my choice were it not for the installation cost factor, ( about $40,000 for my home). Geothermal is worth exploring.

Getting back to solar power for a moment, there is currently a debate over the construction of a solar field in the deserts of the southwestern U.S. a field that would have to incorporate thousands of desert acres. This field has pitted enviromentalist against enviromentalist! It appears that those in favor speak of the power generating abilities and the lessening of our dependance on oil. Those not in favor realize the devestating effects on the desert enviroment leaving the desert all but dead beneath the panels and the millions and millions of gallons of water needed in an area that is starving for water to begin with.

I say build nuclear plants or drill here and drill now!

This country is in for a rude awakening if this Cap and Trade bill passes and we wake up to 6-7 or 10 dollar a barrel oil. It also by the way makes burning wood in a stove or fireplace illegal.

It's going to be a cold winter!

Ralph F. Arcamone Jr.

Comment by MR SPELL on July 9, 2009 at 7:43am

I had pland on useing Solar Energy when i bult my home but the cost stoped me

Comment by Goran Forssell on July 9, 2009 at 6:33am

Dr. Rubia, Nobel price, has done studies to store the warm in big silos full of saltpetre
It can be used with solar colector panels. With heat pumps it's possible to increase the warm and use steam to generate electricity. It's possible to have cooling too from solar pannels with the same principle... and cause less damages than photovoltaic... and all diesel motors can be used with vegetable oil... so called biodiesel... If we did begin to use the "old" stirling motors could we have cars that use pellets as combustible!!! Sun is good but used in the right way and in the right place! Would you like to have your fields and woods transformed in "extensions" of silicon politene and glass?? Why don't use optical fibers to have light in the houses during the day? and in tunnels too... and led illumination.

What about a better insulation for buildings?
A study in Austria shows that we can spare 3 C° with 3 dubble glasses instead for doubble..
3 ° means 50% reduction of costs for heating, but cooling too...

Comment by NV Suresh on July 9, 2009 at 5:56am

Solar enrgy is the best as of now, available , only to be tapped for human consumption, for all others its already available. We need to build large energy storage devices for night use of energy . An energy that has no end as of date and maybe even at the end of the centuries to come. All nations need to come together and set up a research unit / centre to tap the solar energy to the full extent. Form a world council for disbursement of energy which will be the greatest contribution to the man kind by the present day government.

Comment by Gertruida Swanepoel on July 9, 2009 at 5:51am

Sure it is better for the environment, but not enough people care about the environment.

Comment by Hass on July 9, 2009 at 5:45am

Yes I think as equipments become more energy efficient, the solar panels become more efficient. Then there will be a point or time when solar panels can be used for most uses.
Hass
Design Director
www.AccordID.co.uk

Comment by Alice Diane Celebre on July 9, 2009 at 5:31am

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