It has been said that the amount of energy the sun’s raysprovide the earth for just one hour is capable of satisfying the world’s energy requirement for one whole year. That’s an impressive calculation and goes to show the potential solar energy has to solve the world’s rising energy needs. With dwindling reserves of fossil fuels; petroleum, coal, natural gas and Orimulsion, expected to supply the ever-increasing demand for same, electricity generated by solar power is on the rise the world over both as a renewable and sustainable source of power.

If you have been thinking of converting to a sustainable energy source that will also help reduce your monthly electricity bill, talk to solar power companies Brisbane to help you understand how you can benefit from solar powerfor your home or business establishment.

Solar power is not without its drawbacks, however technological improvements and the introduction of a battery system to store excess electricity producedby the solar panels to either use on days when the solar panels are not producing adequate amounts of electricity due to bad weather, or feed it to the grid in exchange for payment.An undisputed advantage working in favour of solar energy is that it is a renewable power source. Free and everlasting. It is widely available around the world every day.

The second advantage is that it is a power generating system that works to reduce the monthly electricity bill. If nothing else, this alone should be enough reason to give solar power some serious thought.

Solar power systems also boast low maintenance and low maintenance costs. Another cost-related advantage to consider. The solar panels need to be kept clean however but only require cleaning a couple of times a year. In addition, the panels made by reliable manufacturers come with a 20–25-yearwarranty.Solar panels don’t have any wear and tear because the system has no moving parts. The inverter has a shorter lifespan than the panels because it constantly works to convert solar power to electricity and will need replacing every 5-10 years.

Although cost is a big driver, it is also the biggest hurdle to conversion. Many business establishments and households find the initial cost of setting up a solar power system rather steep. However, with newer technology being developed and greater economies of scale being pursued by manufacturers, the cost of setting up a solar power system is constantly decreasing.

The second disadvantage is that the quality of sunlight matters. What this means is that sunlight harnessed during cloudy or rainy days is not able to generate as much electricity as full bright sunlight.

Solar power is touted as anenvironmentally friendly, sustainable source of power;however,it is also associated with pollution.There are toxic materials that pollute the environment that goes into the manufacturing of solar panels which gives the system a bad reputation. It is however nowhere near the levels of pollution spewed into the environment by fossil fuels.