Which among the discussed sources of energy, (renewable, non-renewable) do you favor most?

Why? Enumerate at least 3 advantages.

From the beginning, the earth provides resources that humanity used to power our ingenious
minds that advance human activities. Renewable energy resource is one of our ways to go for safe,
sustainable, and efficient energy production. Among the renewable energy sources, I favored Solar
energy.

Solar energy is energy generation through harnessing the sun’s energy. The source of energy from
the sun is the product of hydrogen fusion reaction from the sun’s core to form helium, in turn producing
tremendous heat and light energy that travels through the void to our planet. Solar energy is the energy
generated through the Sun's light (Photovoltaic energy) and warmth (Solar thermal energy) for the
generation of electricity or heat. Energy from the Sun is Inexhaustible unlike other energy resources like
Coal, Natural gas, Oil, and Nuclear, according to (Fortum, n.d.) energy from the sun won’t run out anytime
soon, perhaps it could supply the world's demand for energy, the limiting factor is our ability to harness
this free energy brought by the sun to effectively convert into useful forms of energy to the people.

But the continuous improvement in technology pave way for more efficient and integrated
acquisition of solar energy. With the introduction of new technology in solar panels’ ability to harness
energy effectively and in the most efficient way, new materials were introduced to reduce the thickness
of the solar panel and in addition, make it more flexible to be utilized and install in various application.

One significant and related to the field of construction and architecture was the application of a
building’s architectural features. Termed Solar Architecture, this field as a design approach focuses on
harnessing the power of the sun (usually through solar panels) to create energy-efficient buildings.
Architects can help address the climate crisis head-on by incorporating these green practices into their
designs (Khatri, 2022). Solar panels also help to reduce utility costs of the establishment while at the same
time performing significantly in promoting a sustainable built environment.
I. Provides Clean and Renewable energy

Sustainable, emissions-free, and renewable energy sources. Unlike fossil fuels

such as coal and natural gas, home solar doesn’t release harmful pollutants or greenhouse
gas emissions—like carbon dioxide—into the air and water supply.

By the definition, according to (Marsh, 2019) A renewable energy source is any

source of energy that replenishes itself naturally over time. Nonrenewable energy
sources, such as coal and oil, are not considered renewable because they form over
hundreds of thousands of years, making them incapable of replenishing at the rate at
which humans use them today.

Photo retrieved from: https://ourworldindata.org/safest-sources-of-energy

Despite the concerns in the production of solar panels, technological advancements are
in the move to make solar panels efficient and effective in absorbing energy from the sun.
With the introduction of better panel technologies and designs, the environmental impact
of producing solar panels is decreasing year after year. Solar panel efficiency, for example,
is increasing dramatically year after year. This means that solar panels are becoming much
 better at converting sunlight into emissions-free energy, and the environmental cost of
producing panels concerning the clean energy they generate is rapidly decreasing. In
addition, panels are recyclable significantly reducing their environmental impact by this
means the panel’s lifetime through continuous research in material science solar panels
will further thrive to meet the demand in efficiency.

When you reduce your carbon footprint, you’ll help to eliminate harmful
emissions from burning fossil fuels. Renewable energy technologies are the key to a
cleaner and brighter future for all.

II. The high return on investment

In the long term, there can be a high return on investment due to the amount of
free energy a solar panel can produce, it is estimated that the average household will see
50% of their energy coming in from solar panels. Energy costs are volatile nowadays, most
especially those that came from non-renewable sources which still in this time dominate
energy generation. Investing in this kind of energy source is in higher cost upon upfront
application and initial phase of utilization, but continuous use of solar power can sustain
household consumption of electricity, thus bill and other utility dependent on electricity
could be waved by the Solar energy generation.

In addition, according to (Gromicko, n.d.) Solar power takes advantage of net

metering, which is the practice of crediting homeowners for the electricity they produce
and return to the power grid. As part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, public electric
utilities are required to make available, upon request, net metering to Manhattan, and
much of the northeast USA goes dark in August, 2003customers. This practice offers an
advantage for homeowners who use solar panels (or wind turbines or fuel cells) that may,
at times, produce more energy than their homes require. If net metering is not an option,
excess energy may be stored in batteries.

Even if the cost of solar energy is higher, an early investment could protect the
financial stability of the basic utility, more importantly beyond its financial benefit to the
owner it is part of an act on moving to a more sustainable living and helping earth ease
on utilizing its limited resources.
 III. Off-Grid Application

Solar energy is accessible to everyone although intensity depends on the

latitudinal position, the majority of the inhabited areas of the world receive sunlight. This
is an opportunity for off-grid people or to the far-flung part of the community where
powerlines are disconnected.

Remote areas like, mountain tops, Islands, and others situated in isolated areas
can utilize energy from the sun, Support, according to (Gromicko, n.d.) many people avoid
the grid on principle due to political and environmental concerns, few of the world's 1.8
billion off-the-grid dwellers have a choice. Solar energy has the potential to significantly
improve the quality of life for millions of people who live in the dark, particularly in places
like Sub-Saharan Africa, where up to 90% of the rural population lacks access to electricity.
People in these areas must rely on fuel-based lighting, which has significant social and
environmental costs, ranging from harmed health through contamination of indoor air to
limited overall productivity.

To some extent, as an illustration of how solar energy is used in a very remote

area. The International Space station (ISS) is situated high above the atmosphere at
approximately 400 km above the ground and yet has sufficient energy supply credited to
its large solar array that produces 160 kilowatts of power, enough to power all the life
support and research and technical function of the space station. ISS is a perfect
description of how sustainable and mobile Solar energy and the Sun will continue to
provide unlimited energy for the next couple of million years waiting for us to harness it.

Reference:

Chariot Energy. (n.d.). What is clean energy? 7 different sources. Chariot Energy.
Retrieved July 6, 2022, from https://chariotenergy.com/chariot-university/clean-energy/

Vourvoulias, A. (2022, April 19). Advantages & Disadvantages of Solar Energy.

GreenMatch. Retrieved July 6, 2022, from https://www.greenmatch.co.uk/blog/2014/08/5-
advantages-and-5-disadvantages-of-solar-energy
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ACCIONA. Retrieved July 6, 2022, from https://www.acciona.com/renewable-energy/solar-
energy/?_adin=02021864894

Khatri, T. K. (2022, June 8). 5 ways to design solar architecture beautifully-not as an ugly
afterthought. Solar Architecture: 5 Ways to Improve Design & Embrace Solar Panels.
Retrieved July 6, 2022, from https://redshift.autodesk.com/articles/solar-architecture

Gromicko, N. (n.d.). Advantages of solar energy. InterNACHI®. Retrieved July 6, 2022, from
https://www.nachi.org/advantages-solar-energy.htmGromicko, N. (n.d.). Advantages of solar
energy. InterNACHI®. Retrieved July 6, 2022, from https://www.nachi.org/advantages-solar-
energy.htm