What are the disadvantages of solar power?

Answer 1

1) Initial cost of the equipment used for the solar energy, although the costs are getting less expensive.

2) A large area for the solar energy installation is needed to provide enough energy, so it is a disadvantage in locations where there is limited space. Because a large area needs to be harnessed, the costs to cover that area with equipment will increase.

3) Pollution and clouds reduce the energy of the sun's rays.

4) Useful primarily when the sun is shining, but that eliminates most of the cloudy weathers and night times.

5) Location of the solar panels affect performance. If you're in a place with skyscrapers or other architectures (or landscapes), they may block out the sun.

6) Some PV panels do not work well in warm temperatures. Keeping units cool requires energy.

7) Batteries are required to store energy.

8) Useful sunlight is very brief. Some areas will have very minimal energy input.

9) Solar panels decay fairly quickly. Most are at 75% of their best efficiency in under twenty five year.

10) The output is direct current. This must be converted into a useful energy before most appliances will operate on the power.

Solar power is great overall, but some disadvantages are that solar panels, installation, and repairs are VERY expensive. Also, the weather can effect the efficiency of the solar panels. Solar panels can only process energy throughout the day, even though it usually has enough power saved up to run everything all through the night, which is another disadvantage. And pollution levels can also effect the solar panels efficiency.

The disadvantages of solar is that the sun only shines about half of the time. During the dark hours of the day, no solar energy can be produced.

Cost, energy needed to make panels

1. Solar energy can only be harnessed when it is daytime and sunny.

2. Solar collectors, panels and cells are relatively expensive to manufacture although prices are falling rapidly.

3. Solar power stations can be built but they do not match the power output of similar sized conventional power stations. They are also very expensive.

4. In countries such as the UK, the unreliable climate means that solar energy is also unreliable as a source of energy. Cloudy skies reduce its effectiveness.

5. Large areas of land are required to capture the suns energy. Collectors are usually arranged together especially when electricity is to be produced and used in the same location.

6. Solar power is used to charge batteries so that solar powered devices can be used at night. However, the batteries are large and heavy and need storage space. They also need replacing from time to time.
Photovoltaics (PV) panels have 3 major drawbacks

1) they require a substantial initial investment ($15,000.00-$50,000.00 for a whole house set up)

2) they have an effective life of 25 years or less

3) they are relatively inefficient, processing only limited wavelengths of sunlight into electricity
sure that they don't work at night also they don't work in a cloudy day of if it's raining.they are a renovale way to produce electricity, and they produce much energy if the weather's sunny almost the whole year, if you are in Africa those solar panels are the right for you cheaper and you don't have to pay electricty bills every month!
1. Solar energy can only be harnessed when it is daytime and sunny.

2. Solar collectors, panels and cells are relatively expensive to manufacture although prices are falling rapidly.

3. Solar power stations can be built but they do not match the power output of similar sized conventional power stations. They are also very expensive.

4. In countries such as the UK, the unreliable climate means that solar energy is also unreliable as a source of energy. Cloudy skies reduce its effectiveness.

5. Large areas of land are required to capture the suns energy. Collectors are usually arranged together especially when electricity is to be produced and used in the same location.

6. Solar power is used to charge batteries so that solar powered devices can be used at night. However, the batteries are large and heavy and need storage space. They also need replacing from time to time.