Solar panels are an effective solution to combat air pollution and reduce your carbon footprint. Not only do they generate clean, renewable electricity, but they can also save you a considerable amount of money in the process.
Air pollution is a grave issue that can cause premature death and have detrimental effects to the health of everyone in an area. It is caused by various pollutants like carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide and sulphur oxides.
1. Solar Panels Reduce Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Solar panels produce electricity by harnessing solar energy, which can be used to power homes or businesses. Unlike other renewable sources of energy, solar energy does not rely on carbon-based fuels and does not contribute to increases in atmospheric greenhouse gases.
Cities are taking action to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions through a range of strategies, such as improving building efficiency and investing in electric vehicles. They’re also focusing on waste operations, optimizing transportation and investing in renewable energy sources.
One of the most cost-effective methods to reduce carbon dioxide emissions is investing in distributed energy generation, such as rooftop and community solar. These systems can help cities reduce their overall carbon footprint and slow global temperature increases.
According to the International Panel on Climate Change, global greenhouse gas emissions are largely caused by human activities like deforestation, manufacturing and transportation. These emissions have been linked to numerous environmental and health problems like poor air quality which may result in respiratory illnesses or even premature death.
2. Solar Panels Reduce Dust Emissions
Solar panels not only provide a clean and renewable source of energy but also contribute to reducing dust emissions in various ways. Dust emissions are a form of air pollution caused by activities such as construction, agriculture, and the extraction of fossil fuels.
Solar panels generate electricity from sunlight, which reduces the need for fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas. By decreasing the demand for these resources, solar panels indirectly reduce the dust emissions associated with their extraction, transportation, and processing. Fossil fuel extraction activities, such as mining and drilling, produce significant amounts of dust, which can adversely impact air quality and human health.
Solar panels require minimal land disturbance during installation compared to other forms of energy infrastructure, such as coal-fired power plants or natural gas facilities. Once installed, solar panels have a low environmental impact and produce negligible dust emissions. By opting for solar power, communities can benefit from a cleaner energy source that contributes less to dust pollution from construction activities.
Solar panels can be strategically installed in arid or semi-arid regions to help combat desertification and soil erosion. By providing shade and preventing direct sunlight from reaching the ground, solar panels can help retain soil moisture and promote vegetation growth. In turn, this reduces the amount of dust that is picked up by wind and dispersed into the atmosphere.
3. Reduce Air Temperature
Solar panels reduce air temperatures by absorbing the warmth emitted by the sun. This is one major reason why solar power plays such an important role in climate mitigation initiatives – ways to reduce carbon emissions and slow global warming.
Rooftop solar can often bring about a 5-degree temperature drop in attics and other upper living areas of homes, which helps reduce the need for air conditioning during summer. This could result in savings on summer energy bills as well.
The solar industry is striving to develop technology innovations that will enable it to work better in challenging weather conditions, such as hot climates. For instance, engineers could inject cool liquid underneath panels in order to draw away some of the sun’s heat and keep them cooler.
Recent research examined air temperatures at a solar installation in southern Arizona and discovered they were consistently warmer than nearby desert ecosystems throughout the year and across diurnal cycles. They referred to this effect as the PV Heat Island (PVHI).
4. Reduce Noise
When people think of solar panels, they envision the amount of clean and green energy these systems can generate. Furthermore, they ensure no carbon dioxide emissions occur as a result.
Solar power has another advantage that makes it ideal for cities: unlike other eco-friendly electricity sources, solar can generate electricity without producing noise, making it an ideal option in urban settings.
India, for instance, faces an unprecedented level of pollution. Vehicle emissions, coal combustion for electricity generation and burning trash, crops and other sources have combined to form photochemical smog and particulate matter.
These pollutants can reduce the efficiency of photovoltaic cells by up to 17%, depending on the technology employed. This loss poses a major challenge for the industry and researchers are working hard to find ways to mitigate it.