Solar Energy Storage - Pros And Cons
The development of an adequate, cost effective way to store solar energy can not come fast enough. Completely different methods are being used at present, and others are being experimented with and explored. Some house solar storage system energy customers have had great success with their systems, however solar systems will not be appropriate for all areas of the world, nor would they be good on a larger scale. If solar energy is to be the replacement for different less environmentally pleasant energy sources, then there have to be a way to store it on a larger scale that is still safe and affordable for everyone.
The Pros to Solar Energy Storage
Solar energy is renewable, non-polluting, and straightforward to harness for use. A new house that is built with solar panels or an current home that adds them can qualify for a tax credit or different financial incentives. This makes the concept even more attractive. The present systems for solar energy storage include a photovoltaic system and a molten salt system, however each has drawbacks.
Solar energy can be used to offset or replace electrical costs from the utility company. This, in turn, forces the utility company to turn out to be more competitive of their pricing. If one household in a neighborhood sets up solar panels and reduces their energy costs by half or more and the utility company increases the rates for the next door neighbors, it is not lengthy earlier than the next door neighbors are going to consider going to solar energy as well.
Solar power is safer to use than other energy sources, particularly those who depend on coal which have to be mined from the earth after which transported across the country, or oil which is dear and must be obtained from foreign countries. Harnessing the sun's heat may be the easiest way to store the energy for later use in solar thermal systems.
The Cons to Solar Energy Storage
The sun is not solely predictable or reliable. Clouds can block the sun's rays for seconds, minutes, and even hours causing a storage system to lose megawatts of energy. The loss of megawatts can lead to power loss for the users. If the system in place is just not big sufficient to store sufficient energy for these occasions, it will not be useful in the long run.
The sun will not be a sensible choice in certain parts of the world the place the climate is generally cloudy and overcast. Even in places where there's loads of sun, days of rain and clouds might shut down a system in a matter of hours.
The salt tank systems are adequate on a small scale. On a larger scale, they might face the identical NIMBY protests that different types of energy plants face every time a new one is proposed.
