As it currently stands, solar capacity installed in the U.S. alone can be expected to offset nearly 81 million metric tons of CO2 annually. Despite the Kyoto Protocol, GHG emissions of this sector increased 36% between 2000-2010, where the major contributors were CO2 emissions from coal (43%), oil (36%) and gas (20%). Clean energy: Clean energy is perhaps the biggest issue to tackle, but also the most important. A comprehensive study conducted by NREL determined the total amount of greenhouse gases emitted over an energy source’s lifetime noted that: “While coal-powered technology used up 1050 g of carbon dioxide per kWh of electricity over its lifetime (a median estimate measured in CO2 eq/kwH), solar PV consumed 55 g CO2 eq/kWh.” The NREL researchers noted that for solar, as technology improves, its carbon footprint will see a downward trend. All sources of solar energy are sensitive to climate change , but existing literature focuses mainly on photovoltaic generation (PV) and on changes in solar irradiation, as it is the most relevant source . The contributions from other countries like Japan, Italy, Spain, France, UK, Australia, India, and South Korea were able to amass almost 80,000 GWh together and 63 MT avoided CO2 emissions for the environment. According to the EIA, in 2018, the U.S. generated about 4 trillion kilowatt-hours of electricity. The decisions people make today will have ramifications well into the future. While we make the transition to an almost complete renewable energy market, we must guarantee supplies of electricity different from fossil fuels. Statistics and data provided by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). No votes so far! Then, when the rain comes, the compound transforms into diluted acid that falls into the streams and nearby rivers. Recent studies from NASA on Greenland and the Arctic have demonstrated that continental-size ice formations are melting down due to the excess heat, and they have reduced nearly 10% in the last 30 years. Changes in the available amount of land and trees. In June of 2019, the Environmental Protection Agency finalized the Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) Rule. These numbers may fluctuate as nations find new sources of fossil fuels. This extra heat changes all facets of the world’s weather systems – from hurricanes to floods, a warmer world means more extreme, impactful weather. However, not all states are equal when it comes to energy consumption and carbon emissions. Written by qualified solar engineer Aniket. If you live in San Francisco or Boston, you can see the solar panels in your neighborhood on a map. In summer, however, the solar panels reduce the energy needed for air-conditioning (by 12%), thanks to the shading of the roof. As the economy grows stronger, people travel more, and simply burn more gasoline, emissions increase. Weather is the primary cause for these disruptions. And if we don’t do it, nobody will.”. Either way, fossil fuels like oil will run out and nations will need to find alternative sources of energy. Electric vehicles, already increasingly common on the roadways, and rows of wind turbines generating clean energy are two of the more recognizable technological solutions for climate change… The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that on a national level, 41 percent of all freshwater withdrawals in 2015 were for thermoelectric power operations, primarily for cooling needs. In addition, solar panel users can often lock-in electricity prices and once panels are paid for, it’s almost free to use. However, the U.S. is not the only contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Your email address will not be published. Initiatives like these could lead to the production of 60 million new solar panels by 2030 according to IRENA report. Seal and insulate your home. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), one gigawatt-hour of solar generation can prevent the creation of 690 metric tons of CO2. Climate change is a part of the human experience and will be for years to come. Be the first to rate this post. The latest data available on the tool is from 2014 and still we have an idea of the great contributions of solar energy into the market. Storms, nighttime, shade from trees or buildings, mean solar panels are not generating electricity 24/7. In fact, having a neighborhood powered by community solar array is not only possible, it’s happening right now with community solar gardens popping up across the country. Experiences in the US have shown that around 17.5 million tons (MT) of CO2 can be avoided which translates into 22,000 GWh of electricity. The U.S. Energy Information Administration estimates the U.S. has enough natural gas to last 80 years while oil is estimated to last 30 years. This can easily be seen in the ozone hole in the South Pole. Most of our energy comes from burning fossil fuels, a process that emits carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas (GHG). Watching the time evolution of carbon emissions from 1960 to 2017 leaves no doubt that we are the cause of climate change. For example, sea ice is much more fragile than once thought and instead of taking 150 years to break down, scientists are seeing it break down now. In 2010, China unveiled the first solar-powered air conditioner. The International Energy Agency (IEA), the Paris-based consortium of 30 countries, has told us in its flagship World Energy Outlook 2020 that solar-produced electricity is now the “cheapest electricity in history.” That seems like very good news, that is, until the actual expected impact of that fact is examined more closely. On the contrary, one of the intrinsic advantages of solar panels is that they are a sustainable and clean source of electricity production, therefore they emit zero CO2 because the process to generate electricity is done at the molecular level without the need to burn any component with carbon. Deforestation is also another devastating consequence of coal mining, this is caused by mountaintop removal for the mine. For … The central aim of the 2015 Paris Agreementis to keep the rise in global temperatures to well below 2 °C compared to pre-industrial levels, and with the aim to li… However, increasing the amount of GHG above normal values has a negative effect on Earth’s temperature because the layer becomes thicker than what it should be and heat increases radically, leading to high-temperature values with bad consequences for the planet. Electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrids are widely seen as one of the near-term climate change solutions in the transportation sector, especially when these vehicles are charged by a solar-powered carport or charging station. The study shows that, while large solar arrays can cause some significant regional changes in climate, “globally it will not affect the global climate much,” said Hu. When modules reach the end of their useful life, something must be done with the solar panel wastes. However, almost every step of climate science since the late 80s has made scientists realize again and again that the climate is changing more quickly than expected. New York on the other hand, with the lowest per capita CO2 emissions in the country, has a high population density and a strong mass transit system. Here you can take a look at the contributions from these sources over time. Overall, the U.S. gets its petroleum from about 90 countries. Save energy, save the environment. As climate change expert Michael Dettinger states, there is overwhelming and unrefuted scientific evidence that human use of fossil fuels is causing global warming. ecotality.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The world’s leading climate scientists now give us a little over a decade to stop and reverse climate change. Required fields are marked *. Once in the atmosphere, Dettinger said, CO2 stays in the atmosphere for over a thousand years. Its effects can be seen everywhere across the globe. However, advances in battery technology like the Tesla Powerwall are making battery-backed solar systems more of a reality. According to data from 2017, around 10 gigatons (Gt) of CO2 were emitted in China, over 5 GtCO2 in the US, around 2.5 GtCO2 in India and nearly 36 GtCO2 all over the world. The World Coal Association gives coal 150 years at current production rates. Fossil fuels create a lot of pollutants. However, when calculating the amount of water used to clean solar panels, the number comes out to 2/3 cup of water per megawatt-hour. One of the largest sources of this change has come from the residential sector. As solar energy keeps growing every year, these numbers have already surpassed the estimated values. Besides, the report concludes that by 2050 carbon emissions must be cut 100%, making a complete transition to renewable energy sources. Making the change over to solar energy reduces the need for burning fossil fuels. This can be translated into 18 million tonnes from coal sources, 3.38 million from natural gas, and 9 million from oil sources. Solar power, on the other hand, is a completely green source of energy, and is completely renewable (as it comes from the sun). The best advantage of solar energy production for the environment is that there are absolutely no gas emissions attributed during the production of electricity. Coal is mined by two methods depending on where the deposit sits: opencast (surface) or deep (underground). It’s difficult to predict how much consumers will be paying at the gas pump with numerous factors driving increases in cost. Fossil fuel power plants emit pollution into the air and water. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), one gigawatt-hour of solar generation can prevent the creation of 690 metric tons of CO 2 . Nevertheless, the amount of these associated emissions pale in comparison to emissions created by natural gas, oil, and coal. ACE is an emission guideline that uses heat rate improvement (HRI) as the Best System of Emission Reduction (BSER) for CO2 from a coal-fired electric generating unit (EGU). He notes that a few decades ago, climate scientists would project how the climate would look in a hundred years. Due to this cumulative effect, even if we plan several generations ahead, the CO2 will still be in the atmosphere, making our planet warmer. Coal is the third largest primary energy source in the U.S.; it’s also the dirtiest energy source. For example, Wyoming produces nearly 104 metric tons of CO2 per person, while New York doesn’t even reach 10 metric tons. The Ozone Hole (Source – Union of Concerned Scientists in the USA). However, if global temperature increases over 2°C, there may be no going back, and the effects of climate change would be unavoidable. These actions, while seemingly insignificant, can add up in big ways. With systems like these, solar energy will be accessible whether the sun is shining or not. Fossil fuels are sources of energy that exist because of decomposed plant or animal matter at high-pressure levels that accumulate underground over thousands of years. The primary gas released into the air from burning fossil fuels is carbon dioxide (CO2). In fact, CO2 emissions per person can vary wildly by state. Some of the key indicators it is occurring have been presented on the US EPA website: “Average temperatures have risen across the contiguous 48 states since 1901, with an increased rate of warming over the past 30 years. However, emissions are released during the manufacturing, materials transportation, installation, maintenance, decommissioning and dismantling of the solar energy systems. In the wake of increasing concern over climate change, clean, renewable energy is seen as the wave of the future. … However concentrating solar power (CSP) and solar thermal can be affected by similar variables as well [114,115]. Severe droughts, flooding, intense storms – everywhere you turn, the news is talking about extreme weather patterns that wreak havoc on the environment, economy, and society. Solar joins the major leagues. As an expert working in the field of climate change for more than 20 years, Dettinger is most alarmed by the rate of climate change that is occurring. Some regulations in the EU market known as the EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE), already require that manufacturers of solar panels finance the costs associated with collecting and recycling of expired modules. Thanks to the lack of harmful emissions, there are minimal impacts on public health and safety. The great advantage of solar panels is that they can be recycled, extracting mainly aluminum, glass and some minerals like silicon, copper, and polymers. What Are the Consequences If We Do Not Act to Stop Carbon Emissions? Solar power banks have also demonstrated to be more useful, safe and reliable under scenarios where the regular power grid is not available. As federal and state governments push to clean up their emissions act, solar energy is an attractive and realistic solution for many parts of the country that have a higher need to reduce their CO2 emissions. Coal contributes more than ” target=”_blank”>seven times the amount of CO2 emissions compared to solar. Another noticeable factor that affects carbon emissions is how the electricity is generated. But why is the shift to renewable energy so important? … Right now, we’re inventing whole new technologies, whole new industries – not looking backward; we’re looking forward. Sourcing solar energy is relatively simple. As one of the most commonly available, accessible, and feasible renewable energy options, solar panels are one of the main drivers in the reduction of carbon emissions across the globe. As technology continues to improve and efficiency rates increase, this amount of land will continue to decrease. Alternating fossil fuels with the energy of our hottest star might be an excellent … Across the U.S., the two biggest sources of electricity come from coal at 27.5 percent and natural gas at another 35.2 percent. Solar energy presents a set of advantages that can be used to offset carbon emissions and investing in solar for your house will also help your wallet. We can estimate the reductions in carbon emissions by using solar panels thanks to the IRENA calculator. Moreover, other consequences of climate change are related to longer and harder droughts across the world, which also leads to less productive and less nutritious crops. All Rights Reserved, Beyond ROI: Why Solar Might Just Be the Moral Energy Choice, How Energy Consumption Choice Impacts Climate Change, Emissions in Your State: The Case for Solar, Commercial Solar Installation & Installers, Portable Solar Panels, Camping Gear & Toys, 2018, the average U.S. household was using 914 kWh per month, Work on the computer for five to 10 hours. Insects may end up laying their eggs on the panels, while birds end up hurt or dead as they crash into panels. The time to reduce carbon emissions is now. If using electricity generated by fossil fuels, just one kilowatt-hour of electricity can produce 1.76 to 2.07 pounds of CO2, according to the EIA. According to NASA, since 1900 the temperature of the Earth has increased 1°C. The end of their useful life, something must be done with the solar panel wastes hydropower or.. From oil sources ( underground ) them away into a pile of wouldn... 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