Here is why solar energy will change the way we power homes in the future

Not a long time ago, the search for an alternative energy to replace conventional power sources for homes was considered unthinkable for many. With the advancements in technology and the need for sustainable, renewable energy to endure in the future drove the energy industry to take an avenue of solar power.

Today solar energy is not only considered as an alternative power source, but is thought of as a greener, more efficient and cost-effective solution to power homes, offices & commercial buildings. While the automobile industry has taken a pathway to replace petrol and diesel powered vehicles by electric vehicles and companies have already introduced solar panels to charge the car batteries on-the-go, it is about time for energy companies to bring the same revolution in residential and commercial buildings.

Although the thought of powering homes with solar energy has been there for quite some time now, the efficacy of building efficient power management and advancement of technology have taken straight leaps only in the past few years.

Did you know that every hour 430 quintillion Joules of energy from the sun hits the Earth and the total energy used by humans all around the year is just 410 quintillion Joules. So, in a nutshell, the amount of sunlight that strikes the earth's surface in an hour and a half is enough to handle the entire world's energy consumption for a year.

The question is - Are we using this free, clean and renewable energy source to the brimful today? The answer is ‘No’.

In the US, Solar energy accounts for only 2.8% of the total energy used (Source - US Energy Information Administration -2021) and the number is even lower in other countries including India as of today.

But will solar energy change the way we power our homes in the future? Let’s find out in this post as we discuss the facts, benefits and some cases of solar energy implementations.

Let’s understand what is Solar Energy

Solar radiation, also called the electromagnetic radiation, is emitted by the sun. This light and radiation emitted is harnessed using a variety of technologies such as solar power to convert it into electricity or other forms of energy.

Solar energy is a very important source of renewable energy that is available in abundance as compared to any other resource. The large magnitude of solar energy available makes it a highly appealing source of electricity. With the advancements and progress in the energy industry, the setup and maintenance of solar systems today is even cheaper than fossil fuels in the long run.

The most commonly used solar technologies for homes and businesses are solar photovoltaics (A electric power system designed to supply usable solar power) used for electricity, passive solar design (Use of building's site, climate, and materials to collect, store, reflect, and distribute solar energy) used in space heating and cooling, and solar water heating.

What are solar cells? Why are they needed?

Solar cell, also called a photovoltaic cell, is a device that directly converts the energy of sunlight into electrical energy through the photovoltaic effect.

Unlike batteries, electric generators or fuel cells, solar cells do not require chemical reactions, moving parts or fuel to produce energy. These cells can be arranged into large groupings called arrays.

Arrays where thousands of cells are hosted works as a single unit producing electric charge which will be stored in batteries and used as power to run different applications and devices in homes, industries, offices, etc.

Although the concept of solar power and energy has been discussed from as early as 1830’s, the actual working solar cell made of selenium was introduced first in 1883 by an American inventor named Charles Fritz.

Why Solar Energy? It’s benefits and merits to make a switch.

It’s a free source of energy - Sun is the largest source of free energy on this planet. It is a renewable energy resource that is also sustainable and inexhaustible. The solar energy can be harnessed and converted into electric charge that can in turn be stored in batteries and used. Since it is freely available, solar energy can save people money in the long run compared with traditional energy sources.
It’s good for the environment - One of the biggest advantages of solar energy is that it is a clean source of power. Using solar energy not only has the potential to save people money, but also helps in reducing the carbon emissions and eliminates the use of other sources to generate power that produce chemical fumes or release harmful gasses into the environment.
It will reduce energy losses - Conventional energy sources will be produced at power plants which are far away from the residential areas. From these plants, the electricity will have to be transferred through wires and transformers which results in loss of energy. Using solar energy, this loss can be eliminated as the source of production will be very nearer to the residences.
It can be installed anywhere - Solar energy can be harnessed anywhere. Solar panels can be installed in spaces of homes or buildings like rooftop which are accessed very rarely to generate power. Especially in countries like India where the sunlight is available for almost all parts of the year, we can easily harness solar energy.
It generates revenue - Some of the state governments and electricity boards in India like Karnataka encourage using solar energy and the extra/unused energy produced from solar installations in homes will be bought from the owners and every unit produced will be compensated.
It fosters a sustainable future - In the times when resources are exponentially degrading and going scarce, humankind has to find more sustainable ways to survive and conserve the natural resources. Solar energy is a power source that can help in achieving this for millions of years ahead.

In addition to these merits and benefits, there are other potential benefits like improvement of grid security, low operational costs, increased home value index, etc.

Why is solar energy the future?

The transformation of the solar energy sector has encouraged a lot of homeowners, manufacturers and offices across the globe to add solar energy as a power source to run their electricity needs and reduce the carbon footprint.

While the importance and benefits are heard and appreciated, there are limitations which are still restricting a lot of these people to make a 100% switch. But with time, the advancements and reforms in technology are breaking the shackles and enabling homeowners and others to rethink their approach.

Here are the factors determining why solar can be the future for us:

Over the last decade the equipment costs like solar cells, panels, installation have decreased substantially
The new technologies promise to reduce the costs even further and also make solar cells more efficient
Solar energy is already a cheaper source of power than fossil fuels
Expensive materials used in production of solar cells like silver and silicon will be minimized with better production techniques in the near future
Solar energy is a very promising source of energy that can handle the growing population and power needs
Portable solar power panels are underway and in the near future, these can power even remote places where the power distribution setup today seems impossible
Solar energy is already considered as one of the most cost-effective sources of power

While solar energy is already acknowledged across the world, some of the developing countries like India have started working on hundreds of solar projects that will power the needs of the next generation.

Use of solar energy in homes & offices. Where are we today?

The rooftop solar panels in many houses have gone from a curiosity project to commonplace in the past decade. The advancements in the industry have opened doors to rethink solar power as a source of energy that can power the whole house and also operate as a financially viable source of power.

According to Allied Market Research, the estimated solar energy market will be valued at $223.3 Billion in 2026 compared to $52.5 Billion in 2018. This growth of the solar energy market is driven by increase in environmental pollution and provision of government incentives and tax rebates to install solar panels. The major traction has come from the surge in rooftop solar installations at residential homes and applications in architectural units.

According to Ministry of New & Renewable Energy, as of March 2022:

8,30,373 street lights have been installed
17,23,479 home lights have been installed
79,48,219 solar lanterns have been distributed
2,86,830 solar pumps are operational

This number is going to exponentially increase in the coming 4-5 years to constitute 1.5x more power generation from solar energy. Both the state and central government are invested in providing subsidies and even encourage homeowners to switch to solar energy by buying and compensating them for the extra, unused electricity produced from their solar panels.

While solar energy is not completely normalized today, there are clear synergies that can be seen across different levels right from the government entities, homeowners, businesses, manufacturers, etc. to implement them in the upcoming years.

Some of the successful implementations of solar powered homes today

Conclusion:

Solar energy based decentralized and distributed applications have benefited millions of people across the world including developing countries like India by meeting their cooking, lighting and other energy needs in an environment friendly manner. While it has not been implemented and scaled to power homes 100% as of today, the demand and need to converge is essential and unavoidable in the future.

Meeting the needs of the future generations to come and degradation of the natural resources today has become a major concern for the power sector. To overcome these challenges, it is natural to opt for a renewable, unexhaustive, clean energy source like solar power.

As of Q4 2021, solar accounted for 12.4% of India’s total installed power capacity and this number is gauged to increase in the upcoming years. There are clear indications that the journey has already begun and we are all in together as travelers today.

References
Solar’s Share in India’s Installed Power Capacity Mix Increases to 12.4% as of Q4 2021
This incredible fact should get you psyched about solar power
Timeline of solar cells
US Energy Information Administration
Can solar power your home and your wallet?
Solar Energy Market – Allied Market Research
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy – Solar – Current Status

If you are looking for a solution to enable solar powered homes, Enphase might be a viable option for you. Schedule a call with our in-house expert to understand more about our solutions and services.

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