One of the first thing you hear when talking about solar energy technology is how environmentally-friendly it is. Parties against the expansion of solar have recently begun to debate the truth of that idea, suggesting that clearing away land for the purpose of solar expansion has affected wildlife habitats across the globe. However, it’s important to remember that solar comes in all shapes and sizes, and it truly does have an environmental-advantage over other energy resources.
Solar power is called “clean energy” because it produces a far smaller carbon footprint than traditional methods. But, remember that solar energy installations offer more than a lack of fossil fuels. They offer flexibility. If utilized effectively, solar panels can work with the environment, whether that means a backyard or a desert.
One of the driving factors against solar as an environmentally-friendly outlet is that some of the truly efficient solar facilities out there have destroyed natural landscapes and threatened species like Bighorn Sheep and Desert Tortoises. However, these claims are lackluster at best, given that the alternative, the burning of fossil fuels, has proven to have tenfold the environmental impact to land, water, and animal habitats. Truth be told, there are few methods of energy collection that don’t have some sort of impact on the planet, but should we be striving to increase those with the smallest impact?
The questionable cases revolve around the large, utility facilities, taking advantage of the low cost of solar technology. While clean energy expansion is great, as a homeowner or business, there is no reason you can’t have the best of both worlds. Roof-mounted solar panels give homeowners the satisfaction of harnessing clean, Earth-friendly energy without the worry of environmental harm or increasing energy costs. Solar energy installations are popping up in communities throughout Central Florida because people are realizing that the benefits of financial and environmental benefits can work in harmony.
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