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One negative impact of solar energy is in land use. Another impact is an increased dependence on less efficient, fossil fuel powered peak electric generating equipment. There are also concerns about toxic chemicals which may be used in solar cells and batteries for solar cells.
Most solar installations will likely be on top of buildings or in lawns, so the land use issue is minor.
The concern over "toxic" elements is significantly over-hyped. These elements come from the ground, which is the same place your food is grown in, and your water is drawn from. In fact, before RoHS, most electronic devices contained less biologically active lead and Mercury than a can of tomatoes, and were consumed considerably less often than those tomatoes. While lead in gasoline and paint, and mercury use in gold mining were harmful, the current toxic metals concerns are more anti-industry than pro-health driven.
The increased fossil fuel use seems contradictory to solar energy use, but the most efficient fossil fuel plants are the gigantic ones, and they cannot be started and stopped on a whim. They rely on a nearly constant power draw to operate properly. When energy use exceeds their capacity, peaker plants are activated, which use natural gas turbines to power smaller generators. These small generators provide a buffer for temporary high loads, and while the large generators at the main plant are brought on line or taken off line, a process which can take days.
If solar power becomes wide spread, more of these peaker plants will become necessary, as the power demands will fluctuate considerably from sunny and cool to cloudy and hot days, swings which can occur far faster than the startup and shutdown times of the larger, more efficient plants.
There are some buffering technologies which can store renewable energy and help alleviate the dependence on those peaker plants. The first is a hydroelectric storage plant, which fills its reservoir when power is plentiful, and empties the reservoir when power is needed but there are limited locations at which to build such things. Another technology is a vacuum encased flywheel. This is an extremely heavy flywheel which is spun upwards of 10,000 rpm in an evacuated chamber, and can hold a considerable amount of kinetic energy. The storage density may be higher than a battery bank.
Requiring large battery storage at the point of use may also alleviate some of the variability associated with solar power.
What else can I help you with?
What are non-extractive resources?
Non-extractive resources are those that can be used without being consumed or depleted, such as solar energy, wind energy, and geothermal energy. These resources can be harnessed for human use without causing harm to the environment or depleting the resource itself.
What are types of non polluting power generation?
Some types of non-polluting power generation include solar power, wind power, hydroelectric power, and geothermal power. These sources generate electricity without emitting greenhouse gases or other pollutants that harm the environment.
Describe how electricity is made that does not harm the environment?
There are multiple ways electricity can be made and not harm the environment. One example is that you can use wind turbines that capture the wind and use the power for electricity. Another is that you can use solar panels that capture the light and heat from the sun and use that for electricity.
How is solar energy renewable energy?
Well solar energy is renewable because, the sun's rays will never run out. That makes it renewable.Renewable energy sources will never run out and we will have a constant supply of them. And with renewable energy sources, we are not hurting the environment as much as when we use fossil fuels.
Generating energy through combustion of renewable biofuels that cause minimal harm to the environment is an example of?
Green Design
Is there a way to obtain solar energy that may not damaging the environment?
I think that solar energy obtained through solar panel doesn't harm the environment.
Why do you have wind turbines?
To get energy that does not harm the environment just like solar panels.
What are the harmful effects of the solar energy?
There is no harm
Why are solar cars good?
Because it doesn't harm the environment.
How energy effects the environment?
i the solar
What does alternative energy resource mean?
Alternative resource is the new renewable or inexhaustable energy source;includes solar energy, wind, and geothermal energy.
What negative effect's can solar energy have on the environment and how?
none
How can solar energy help the polar bears?
Because your not using gas or other that hurt the environment and use those bad things cause globe warming, but solar energy is the energy that you get in the environment
What does solar energy do for humans?
warms our bodies and save our environment
Can sound energy harm the environment?
Not the envoirment, but you. Its called sound pollution.
Why is solar power important?
Solar power doesn't pollute or cause any type of harm to the environment, unlike other resources like oil and coal and nuclear power. It is renewable and free and many people believe solar power is the best energy of the future. Plus it does not need any special thing or formula from the Earth's environment. Solar panels are important to humans because they are a collector of a renewable energy source and easy to use. They collect light and transfer it into energy. They are the technology of tomorrow that will allow us to have a greener earth. Without solar energy, we wouldn't live.
What do you think about solar energy?
I believe solar energy is a great alternative to be used as a power source as it helps conserve our other natural resources and does not pollute or harm the environment. Applying solar energy to machinery and equipment is also a very simply procedure and does not require as much attention and surveillance as other power sources such as fuel. Companies are well aware of the advantages of solar energy and has begun to market it accordingly; this in itself showcases how it is becoming more popular.
