Solar Energy 1
Solar Energy 1
Solar Energy 1
Environmentally Friendly
Sunlight is a complete renewable resource, unlike oil, natural gas, and coal. Generating your
own electricity using solar panels reduces or eliminates your consumption of fossil fuels,
therefore minimizing the emission of pollutants and greenhouse gases. CO2 is one of several
greenhouse gases that is a principal culprit for global warming. Investing in solar energy is
one way to limit your CO2 emissions. Over the insured lifespan of a typical solar system, the
system can counterbalance 250,000 pounds of CO2. This is equivalent to offsetting over
150,000 miles driven by the average car, or planting 21,700 square feet of trees!
Financial Benefits
Going solar has a plethora of financial benefits. With a solar panel system you are generating
free power over your systems 25-30 year life span. Even if you dont produce all the energy
you consume, your utility bills will be drastically reduced. On the other hand if you produce
more energy then you need you can sell it back to the electric company. In other words youre
making money off of free solar energy! In addition, energy prices are always fluctuating
making it nearly impossible to manage your electricity budget. With solar energy you
minimise or eliminate your dependence on the electric company making your energy
spendings much more predictable and manageable.
Solar Supporters
The free money has a catch. The politicians are expected to have the utility companies best
interest in hand. Its easy. Support and protect the companies and you get money. Dont?
Then you're missing out on bookoo bucks. This is why solar energy is meeting legal resistance.
No politician wants to get on the utility companies bad side. State Representative Dwight
Duley believes the utility companies campaign donations have kept pro-solar legislations
from gaining momentum in Florida Legislature. Many fear being outcasted for not supporting
these companies and rightfully so. Their money has formed quite the following.
California
1.
vs.
Florida
1.
75,600 people
2.
2.
41 MW of solar produced
3.
3.
nation wide
4.
Conclusion
In closing I recommend all legislators should support solar industry growth. We can start by
encouraging individuals and companies to use solar systems by offering incentives as well as
mandate usage especially for high electricity consumers. It is up to us to start thinking about
our future and stop the rising CO2 levels. We can do this by encouraging individuals and
companies to invest in solar energy.
Bibliography
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"5 Reasons Utilities Are Hating On Their Solar-Producing Customers." CleanTechnica. N.p., 2015. Web. 05 May 2016.
"In Sunshine State, Big Energy Blocks Solar Power." Florida Center for Investigative Reporting. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May
2016
Green, Miranda. The Daily Beast. Newsweek/Daily Beast, n.d. Web. 05 May 2016.
"How Do Solar Systems Produce Energy?" NW Wind & Solar. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2016.
"Florida Solar." SEIA. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2016.
"California Solar." SEIA. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2016.
"Get the Facts About Solar Energy - How Does Solar Energy Work?" Solar Energy Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2016.
John Farrell. "5 Reasons Utilities Are Hating on Their Solar-Producing Customers." The Huffington Post.
TheHuffingtonPost.com, n.d. Web. 05 May 2016.
"Why Are These U.S. States Fighting Solar Power? -- The Motley Fool." The Motley Fool. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 May 2016.