It will be no secret to Northern Ireland homeowners that solar panels provide a positive impact on the environment, particularly compared to traditional fossil-fuels such as coal, oil and gas, but do you really know why?
We all rely heavily on energy – it literally makes the world go round. If you think about, when you wake up in the morning, you switch on a light, you boil a kettle for a cup of tea and you check your fully charged phone – each of these actions needs energy. And for a long time, all of this energy was created through the burning of fossil fuels – a highly unsustainable resource which produces harmful greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. Now, we have multiple renewable energy sources including wind, geothermal, hydro and of course, solar which each have a much more positive impact on the environment.
In this blog, First Class Solar break down the environmental benefits of having solar panels installed on homes in Northern Ireland.
What are the environmental benefits of solar energy?
Solar Energy is Clean and Low Emission
The energy generated by solar panels is clean energy, meaning that it emits little to no greenhouse gas emissions or pollutants. Instead, solar panels rely purely on sunlight to generate electricity. A study found that, compared to coal, solar panels used 99% less water and produced 90% less pollution. As well as that, solar panels don’t emit any noise pollution unlike energy sources such as gas boilers or diesel generators, making them a much quieter form of energy.
Solar Energy is Renewable and Sustainable
Solar panels use sunlight which is renewable and sustainable, meaning there is an ongoing supply of energy without negative impacts on future generations. With around five billion years of estimated life left in our sun, solar panels will continue to be useful for years to come. This differs significantly from conventional fossil fuels which will eventually run out due to the imbalance between supply and demand.
As solar panels are fitted on the roofs of domestic homes, there is no additional effect on the environment as no land needs to be cleared and no additional manufacturing is required which, in turn saves time and money for homeowners.
Solar Energy Helps Reduce Carbon Emissions
Each domestic solar panel system in Northern Ireland is estimated to reduce around one tonne of carbon dioxide each year. With solar panel warranties of 25 and 30 years, that means a massive amount of carbon dioxide is avoided, just by having solar panels installed in your home. The Northern Ireland 2022 Climate Change Act set targets of reducing carbon emissions by 48% by 2030, and 77% by 2040. Therefore, by installing solar panels on your home, you’ll help to achieve these goals and contribute to the improvement of the environment in NI.
Other Benefits of Solar Panels for Homeowners
As well as being environmentally friendly, solar panels also have many other advantages, namely, they have major cost-saving benefits for both homeowners and businesses. By generating your own energy during daylight hours, you rely less on grid electricity, offering a significant cost reduction on electricity bills.
These cost-savings can be further increased by adding a solar battery to your PV system which will allow you to take full advantage of Economy 7 Day/Night tariffs and store additional energy for personal use.
Is solar energy completely carbon neutral?
To be fully considerate of the environment, it’s important to also think about the start and the end of your solar PV system. You should consider how much energy is spent in producing your solar panels, and how they are disposed of safely when they reach the end of their lifespan.
The Environmental Impact of Solar Panel Manufacturing
To make a solar panel, various substances such as copper, silicon, aluminium or cadmium are required. There are also various processes necessary, such as melting and heating elements, which uses energy. This energy required for the manufacturing and installation however, the energy that’s used has been found to be recouped by the installed solar systems in 1-4 years – a fantastic amount of time compared to the operating lifespan of the solar PV systems of 25-30 years.
The Challenge with Solar Panel Recycling
The recycling of solar panels is the current challenge for the solar panel industry both in Northern Ireland and further afield. Existing technology and recycling centres are limited, however services are offered by several companies across the UK. As technology is always improving, we can expect to see more solar panel recycling centres popping up, particularly with the growing popularity of solar panels. As solar panels typically last between 25-30 years, there is still plenty of time to catch up on this area and we look forward to solar panel recycling becoming more prominent.
Go Green with Solar Panels in Northern Ireland
Despite there being some challenges with solar panel manufacturing and recycling, installing solar panels still has an overall highly positive impact on the environment with reduced carbon emissions and renewable energy production, as well as significant cost-saving benefits.
First Class Solar have installed many solar PV systems across Northern Ireland, from urban areas like Belfast and Derry/Londonderry to more rural areas around the likes of Tyrone, Armagh and beyond. With a First Class Solar PV system, you can rest assured knowing that you have a long-term, clean energy solution working to provide green energy for you and your home for decades to come.
If you’re a homeowner in Northern Ireland and have been considering installing solar panels, we’d love to hear from you.
Get in touch with the First Class Solar team today by emailing info@firstclasssolar.co.uk or calling 02896 005 042.