50 Amazing Facts of Solar Energy That You Need to Know

50 solar facts

Table of Content

Solar energy has become one of the fastest-growing sources of renewable energy in the world. With its many environmental, economic, and independence advantages, it is no wonder that solar energy is at the top of the energy shift. Here are 50 interesting facts about solar energy that explain how it would alter our world.

Key Takeaways

  • The solar panels life cycle is between 20-25 years.
  • Climate, weather, quality, brand type and installer company are the possible factors that are responsible for any degradation in the solar system before time. Moreover, sometimes solar systems stop working due to a fault in the various parts such as batteries or inverters.
  • Proper cleaning, on-time maintenance can increase the life cycle of solar systems.

1. Environmental Friendly

Solar energy produces fewer greenhouse gases. Solar energy used in power generation does not emit harmful pollutants that destroy the atmosphere; therefore, it fights climate change and reduces air pollution. Solar energy can be instrumental in reducing our carbon footprint.

2. Solar Panel Converts Sunlight into Electricity

This is a photovoltaic effect where solar panels convert sunlight into electricity. In the current scenario, the sun’s rays hitting the cells in the solar panel excite the electrons that produce an electric current. The process is efficient and becoming progressively cheaper, so the notion of using solar energy as an alternative to fossil fuel is not a pipe dream.

You May Also Read: How Can Solar Energy Save The Environment?

3. Emergence of the Solar Industry

Today, the solar sector is the fastest-growing part of renewable energy. According to the International Energy Agency, as of 2020, the share of electricity produced in the world through solar energy has been at 10%, and the share continues to climb. All this growth translates into jobs, technologies, and more investment in renewable energy infrastructure.

4. Solar Energy is Cost Effective

Cost of Solar Panels The cost of solar panels has plummeted in the last decade. The United States has cut the price of a solar photovoltaic system by almost 70% since 2010. This has brought forth an economical source of solar energy for household and business consumers, which is a close alternative to conventional sources of energy.

5. Low Maintenance For Solar Energy Syatems

Once it has been installed, solar panels require only a little maintenance. Most systems need some occasional cleaning and, at intervals, inspection so that everything is working perfectly in its place. This low-maintenance requirement adds even more to the cost-effectiveness and beauty of solar energy systems.

6. Solar Energy Can be Used Anywhere

One of the keys to the power of solar energy is that, in theory, it can be found everywhere, and therefore, it will pay for the ideal solution for both urban and rural areas. From rooftop houses to off-grid locations, remote solar panels can bring electricity to people who cannot get their traditional sources of power. This also goes a long way toward raising access in developing regions.

7. Solar Energy Can Power Homes and Businesses

Solar energy can feed into the grid to power homes, businesses, and even massive industries. Many companies will now invest in solar power systems to cut their energy expenses and become more sustainable. In addition to this, solar users are also eligible to get any unused electricity fed back into the grid through net metering programs, which is another monetary advantage.

8. Solar Energy Storage Solutions Are Advancing

Advanced technology in battery storage has allowed the possibility of storing surplus energy generated on sunny days for use at night or on cloudy days. Product solutions like the Tesla Powerwall can enhance the reliability of solar power systems by providing source independence.

9. Solar Energy is Available Everywhere

The energy received by the Earth in just one hour is far greater than what the planet consumes in a whole year. The sun’s enormous energy makes it a prime source of energy. If even a tiny portion of this energy source can be harnessed, it will sustainably serve all the world’s energy requirements.

10. Countries Who Invested In Solar Energy

Investments in solar projects around the globe have been phenomenal. In 2020, the entire world invested $303.5 billion in renewable energy projects, with most investments channeled into solar energy projects. China, the U.S., and Germany are actually finding their leadership roles in filling the world’s quest for new, clean energy as a substitute for fossil fuels.

11. Solar Energy for Electric Vehicles

With the increased acceptance of electric vehicles, several electric vehicle owners are opting for solar power to charge their cars. Solar power can charge an electric vehicle so that its carbon footprint is minimised and considerable savings in terms of energy bills can be created. That will be a terrific synergy between solar and electric vehicles toward a healthy energy ecosystem.

12. Solar Can Be Installed on Any Surface

Solar panels do not necessarily have to be placed only on rooftops. They can also be placed on a building facade or the ground. New technologies using flexible solar panels can be integrated into unusual surfaces, which would allow new potential by giving a wider range of environments for generating solar energy.

13. Reduce Air Polution

A solar power switch also helps curb air pollution resulting from the burning of fossil fuels. Cleaner air would directly correlate with health outcomes, especially diseases and deteriorations in health due to air pollution. A shift towards solar energy usage will promote environmental sustainability and public health.

14. Rising Property Value Due to Using Solar Energy

Many homes prefer installing solar energy because it increases the value of the property. Studies have indicated that homes with solar panel installations are sold at a higher price than those without such installations. Such financial benefits ensure one continues to invest in photovoltaic power, hence advancing the use of renewable energy.

15. Solar Farms Can Be Installed At Farm Borders

Farming activity can be combined with solar farming: crops can be raised side by side with the production of solar energy. This model is known as agriculturist. Thus, it effectively uses the available space and also enables the effective use of farmland.

16. Solar Energy Is a Global Movement

Above all, solar energy does not care about particular countries. Other parts of the world are embracing the sun—Germany, India, and America—as an alternative source of clean energy. Thus, it draws into it the need for global cooperation to combat climate change.

17. Renewable Technology is Improving

Research remains to be done in the area of solar technology. New inventions that promise efficiency and cheaper costs, like those perovskite solar cells, would revolutionize the solar industry. Hence, as technology advances, the accessibility and efficiency of solar energy will evolve with it.

18. Solar Energy is Suitable for Hot Climate Regions

Areas where the climate is hot and where the sun shines for most of the year are ideal for the generation of solar energy. In equatorial countries, there is relatively more solar energy potential. The use of solar energy in such regions will considerably minimise reliance on fossil fuels.

19. Solar Energy Can Help Relief Efforts

If things do not return to normal soon, their solar energy systems may be their only lifeline. People have widely used solar energy systems during emergencies and specifically to access electricity whenever needed.

20. Contribute Towards Energy Independence

Investment in solar power can also improve energy security for the respective countries above and beyond reliance upon imported fossil fuels. Reliance on solar power reduces vulnerability to market fluctuation and geopolitical tensions associated with it.

21. Solar Gadgets Are Ubiquitous

From chargers to solar garden lights, many consumer products are using solar energy. It is one of the emerging trends that raise awareness of renewable energy and make individuals embrace solar solutions in their daily lives.

22. Solar Energy Strengthens Grid Resilience

Distributed solar energy systems make the electricity grid robust and prevent any blackout. In its place, solar energy diversifies the source, decentralises the generation of power, and adds strength to the energy infrastructure.

23. Solar Energy Goes Hand in Hand with Sustainable Development

Attainment of the United Nations SDGs for development requires solar energy, mainly its aid in offering cheap and clean energy to all. More inclusion of solar energy projects may eradicate poverty and lead to faster economic development in the areas.

24. Investment in Solar Energy Creates Business Opportunities

It tends to stimulate the economy through jobs, economic growth, and business opportunities in other sectors of the economy. Its underlying actions are in manufacturing, installation, maintenance, and research and development, and solar energy is a novel stimulant in propelling the growth of the economy.

25. Solar Energy is here to stay

The sun will definitely be the future in a world that shifts to clean energy. With time, advancing technology, and growing public awareness of climate change, the panel is confident that solar energy will be the mainstay of our energy landscape. 

26. Solar Power Can Be Used For Heating

Besides generating electricity to power home appliances, one can use solar energy as a source of heating. In thermal systems, the sun’s rays are used to give houses and businesses hot water, which is used to warm up swimming pools or just for hot water use in houses.

27. Solar Energy Helps to Save Energy Costs

This also installs solar panels, saving household and commercial consumers significant amounts of energy. Because they generate their electricity, solar users reduce their reliance on the grid and even benefit from net metering programs, where they get credits for surplus energy produced.

28. Solar Power Can Be Combined with Other Renewable Sources

This natural advantage in solar energy technology can synergistically be combined with other renewable energy sources: wind and hydroelectric power. Such a combination, thus, maximizes potential energy generation, enhances reliability, and contributes to a more sustainable energy mix.

29. Efficiency With The Aid Of Solar Technology

With the advancement of solar technology, improvements have been made to more efficient solar panels. Modern solar cells can now convert more than 20% of sunlight into electricity, and research is underway to boost this percentage even higher, making solar energy a much more serious competitor to fossil fuels.

30. Solar Power Cuts Down Dependency on Fossil Fuels.

We can decrease our reliance on fossil fuels, which are finite resources and lead to environmental degradation. By switching to renewable sources of energy, we can move toward a far more sustainable future.

31. Solar Energy can Enhance Energy Secuirty

It facilitates a diversity of sources and helps reduce the dependence on imported fossil fuels. It assists a country in reducing the threats that convey the message of energy supply disruption and price volatility.

32. Community Solar Projects Taking Off

Community solar projects help many homes or businesses tap power from a single installation of solar energy. This model provides access to solar energy to those who need more suitable rooftops or have insufficient financial means to install their systems.

33. Water Insecurity on the Wane with Desalination via Solar Power

Areas with water scarcity will be able to tap light energy-powered desalination plants, which harness solar energy to transform seawater into freshwater. Such an innovative means can become a source of clean water supply for arid regions to fill the ever-increasing demand.

34. Solar Energy Combats Transmission Losses

This is also an advantage because electricity produced close to where it is used, for example, in residential solar systems, incurs fewer transmission losses associated with the transportation of electricity over long distances. This efficiency makes the whole grid more effective overall.

35. Photovoltaic Energy Can Foster Technological Advancement

It is along these lines that the impetus for renewable energy spurs cross-pectoral technological innovation. Investment in solar technology has led to the holistic development of energy storage, grid management, and smart energy systems that have benefited the overall energy landscape.

36. Solar Energy Is a Sustainable Investment

Not only do investments in solar energy form an environment-friendly move, but it also happen to reap long-term economic benefits. The long-term benefits of such renewable energy investments and the resultant funding and support for solar projects are only now beginning to appear as quite revealing to many financial institutions and investors.

37. Rural Development through Solar Energy

Solar energy projects in rural areas would be an economic booster because of employment generation, expansion in electricity access, and investment they solicit. Solar energy plays a very important role as a game-changer in rural development because it is possible to empower the local community with a number of solutions involving renewable energy.

38. Solar Energy Can Help Meet Peak Demand

Solar energy’s peak generation normally occurs during the day when energy demand is the highest. This makes solar power an extremely effective means of meeting peak energy demand and decreases the requirement for expensive and pollution-forming peak power plants.

40. Solar Energy is a Global Job Creator

Millions of jobs are developed by solar energy; it also brings in manufacturing, installation, research, and development. Continuing to grow in terms of solar energy will add many employees to the economy, contributing to economic stability and further growth.

41. Solar Energy Is Cheap

The cost of solar energy technology has gone down, and it is even affordable for many homes and businesses. Now, as it touches all other bases with financial incentives and tax credits and lowers installation costs, its access level is reaching an all-time high.

42. Solar Energy Reduces Water Usage

Unlike other power sources such as coal and natural gas, which burn through all the aquifers just to cool and process, solar energy uses the least water. Therefore, it is the most environmentally friendly substitute for the scarce places on Earth.

43. Solar Energy Systems Become Very Efficient

Research and development were also performed in solar technology, which resulted in even more efficient solar panels that could yield more electricity from a similar amount of sunlight. Further improvement will further cement solar energy as a viable main source of power.

44. Solar Energy: The Ultimate Betting Form For Climate Success

World authorities are taking various vigorous climate targets to minimize greenhouse gas emissions. One such form is solar energy; it offers clean, renewable sourced energy.

45. Solar Energy Can be used for wildlife conservation

Another reason for building solar farms is to serve as habitats for wildlife. This way, the two goals will be met simultaneously: the source of energy will be renewable, and nature will be protected. In fact, the development of solar energy can contribute to the protection of the environment through support for biodiversity and the preservation of ecosystems.

46. Solar-Powered Devices Everywhere

Most of the calculators, garden lights, and thousands of other electronic devices used today are solar-powered. The recognition of this renewable source starts in such mundane life, making people keener on choosing solar as their energy solution.

47. Solar Energy Helps Drive Other Development Areas

Advances in solar energy technologies propel other areas of development, such as energy storage, electric vehicles, and technologies to improve the smart grid. At this level of connectivity, all our systems become better at efficiency and sustainability.

48. There Are So Many Applications of Solar Energy

Solar energy can be implemented in any application, however small or large, ranging from home power generation to larger utility projects. This versatility allows ingenuity to come up with solutions based on specific energy production needs, thus making solar energy very versatile and effective.

49. Solar Panels Are Recyclable

It saves waste and promotes a circular economy at the end of its life cycle, with many parts that can be recycled. Recovery programs today are designed for valuable material from solar panels near or even beyond their life cycle, supporting sustainability.

50. Solar Energy Is a Key Solution for a Sustainable Future

That is not just a trend; it must be taken as the shift toward clean, healthy, and strong energy in the future. That can happen only when we invest more in developing this technology and encourage people to use solar power for their benefit and for the generations to come.

Conclusion:

Solar energy is an opportunity for a bright, green future. From this perspective, it offers environmental benefits, job creation, and economic growth. In short, society finds itself more obligated to meet the challenges of climate change and energy security through its role in providing power. And that is exactly what needs to be grasped as one digs through these 50 incredible solar energy facts.

Jackson Brown

I am Jackson Brown. I am a lecturer turned solar expert, I am fond of traveling and a good chef.

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FAQ

Most frequent questions and answers

There are many benefits of solar energy, and some of them are as follows:-

 

  • Solar energy is available and renewable as it depends upon the supply of sunlight, which is filled continuously.
  • Solar energy production significantly lowers electricity costs with time because one generates one’s electricity.
  • Utilising solar energy reduces greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, creating a clean environment and prospects against climate change.
  • Reducing the utilisation of fossil fuels in the use of solar energy improves a country’s energy security and makes it less sensitive to fluctuations in energy prices and supplies.
  • The solar industry is one of the emerging ones, creating massive jobs, for example, in the manufacturing, installation, and maintenance of various solar panels and technologies.

Constant flows of about 173,000 terawatts of solar energy strike the Earth’s surface. More than 10,000 times the world’s total consumption, these flows of energy are enormous. Despite this amount of potential, effective harvesting of solar energy is difficult, which makes developing and implementing advanced technology and infrastructure in solar energy crucial.

In ideal conditions, a single solar panel can produce as much as 250 to 400 watts. In contrast, hundreds to thousands of such panels can be utilized to generate multiple megawatts (MW) or even gigawatts (GW) in massive solar farms. A 1 MW solar installation can power approximately 164 homes for a year, which shows that solar energy can indeed contribute to the world’s energy needs.

Here are some interesting facts about solar panels and their energy production

 

  • A solar panel is supposed to last 25-30 years and still generates a lot of energy, even when it is far beyond that.
  • Like the computer, not only have the amounts of solar panels being produced increased, but more importantly, their efficiency has risen continually, now up to 22% in converting sunlight into electricity.
  • Solar panels can be mounted on rooftops, integrated into building materials (BIPV), and deployed in a wide range of applications: residential, commercial, and industrial.
  • Photovoltaic systems may also be grid-tied, ensuring that excess energy generated can be sold back to the utility grid, further increasing economic returns.