Solar Energy

Like an source of energy, solar power energy has advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, it is ubiquitous, clean, and inexhaustible. Ancient people made use of this plentiful energy supply in warm their homes, extract salt from water, and preserve food. Today, solar energy is used to generate electricity without harmful emissions. On the other hand, solar power's considerable disadvantages have prevented it from being a serious rival to coal, natural gas, and nuclear power. One drawback to solar power is that its energy is diffuse, making it difficult to collect enough sunlight to he useful. Solar energy is also inconsistent during cloudy days and nighttime, no solar energy can he collected Added to these disadvantages are the limitations inherent in the technology used to capture solar energy. The typical solar cell converts no more than 15 percent of the sunlight it receives into electricity. All of these drawbacks have a nails ,sl consequence: Electricity generated by solar energy costs more than electricity produced by conventional energy sources. Typically. utilities rel ing on coil, nuclear power, and natural gas fot generation produce electricity for between six and eight cents a kilowatt hour. Solar Cost, as much as thirty-five cents per kilowatt hour.