Environmental Impacts Attributed to the Use of Solar Energy Essay Example

people both economically and health wise. Furthermore, these solar power projects have also contributed significantly in the conservation of the environment. The purpose of this paper is to explore the economic and environmental impacts of harnessing solar energy.

Solar energy is emitted by the sun radiations and it is therefore freely available in abundance in the regions that receives hot and dry climates. If it is well harnessed, it can reengineer economic growth and contribute in environmental conservation. Economically, solar energy contributes significantly in improving the living conditions of the local people in numerous. This has been attested by the solar projects that have been implemented in China and India to power the rural areas due to its reliability and affordability. For instance, Lighting a Billion Lives (LaBL) , a solar power initiative that was implemented in sixteen states in India clearly attests to this fact (Baruah, 2015).

The project entailed setting up solar Lantern Charging stations in the villages and the lanterns were rented to the households. First, the implementation of the solar power projects contributes in increasing the market for electrical appliances and this in result in the growth of the economy by generating the employment opportunities and increasing trade. As a consequence, many people acquires means to earn a living. The implementation of the LaBR project in sixteen states in india resulted in increasing the annual market for the solar lanterns and cook stoves by around $500 to $400 annually respectively (Baruah, 2015). This contributed in economic growth and generation of employment opportunities. The decentralized renewable energy technologies in rural areas of India have offered the positive impacts on the poor communities beyond cooking

and lighting.

The other positive impact characterized by implementation of the solar power projects is being cost-effective and helping the residents and especially the poor to be able to save. As consequence, these people are in a better position to save and invest in order to improve their living conditions. For instance, the LaBR project in India helped the beneficiaries to save significantly by using the solar lanterns. Initially, they used to buy a litre of kerosene at around 15 INR per a day even though this cost was rationalized by the ration-card system in order to assist people who were living below poverty line meet their needs. However, up on successful implementation of the LaBR projects, the residents were only spending 2 INR per day for leasing solar lantern (Baruah, 2015). Furthermore, additional cost savings were also realized as the residents did not incur the cost of repairing the solar lanterns. These cost savings contributed to the improvement of economic conditions of these people as they could used the saved costs to meet other needs.

Solar energy has also been closely linked with stimulating economic growth especially in the regions that have not been served by power grid. The solar energy electrification provides energy that is used to perform some economic activities which generate employment, create business opportunities and as a result contribute in the growth of the regions. The growth in Andalusia, the southern regions of Spain is to some contributed to supply of solar thermal energy which contributed in the growth in social and economic aspects (Cansino et al., 2013).
Solar energy also contributes in saving costs that are attributed to the health conditions caused

by the use of traditional form or energy such as firewood and kerosene.

In the regions where the people use the traditional forms of energy for cooking such as firewood and kerosene, there is a high probability of these individuals experiencing adverse health effects due to being exposed to pollutants like soot and other chemicals produced by the burning firewood and kerosene which causes particular respiratory conditions such as asthma (Mishra & Behera, 2016). As a result, money that could be used to meet other purposes is used to meet health costs, notwithstanding, the time that is lost by the productive people due to ill health. Solar energy is clean and it is not linked with causing respiratory conditions and it therefore contribute in cost savings and ensuring people remain healthy and productive thereby promoting economic growth.

The tapping of the solar energy is also characterized by numerous environmental impacts that help in making the economic growth sustainable. The dominant form of energy that is currently used in many parts of the world is fossil fuels and it associated with many adverse effects, some of which can be fixed by the use of solar energy. Solar energy not only reliable, but also clean and if harnessed can contribute in addressing the problem of environmental pollution associated by the use of other forms of energy like coal and fossil fuels. For instance, fossil fuels emit greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane which are responsible for causing global warming and climatic change. According to the current statistics, 87 percent of the carbon dioxide emission into the atmosphere is attributed to the use of fossil fuels (Weeks, 2016).

This

implies that, if solar energy can replace to a larger extent the use of fossil fuels, climate can be appropriately be dealt with. Solar energy is a clean and does not contribute in the emission of carbon to the atmosphere which is characterized by numerous adverse effects. Consistent and increased emission of the carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases due to the use of energy sources such as coal, fossil fuels and biomass energy have caused rise in the global temperature which have in return caused melting of glaciers, drying up of water sources and desertification (Sovacool & D’Agostino, 2012). In addition, greenhouse gases are also responsible for causing depletion of the ozone layer which protects people from harmful solar radiations. This partially accounts why solar energy is the most favorable source of energy as compared to fossil, coal and biomass form of energies.

Solar energy also contributes in the conservation of the environment by avoiding cutting down of trees especially in the rural areas where majority of people use firewood for cooking (Baruah, 2015). . Clearing of trees for is associated with serious environmental impacts such as desertification, destruction of water catchment areas and increased proportion of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Trees act as a carbon sink by using carbon dioxide available in the atmosphere for photosynthesis. In the rural areas such as India where solar initiatives have been established, evidence reveal that the project has contributed in conservation of the environment as the people do not cut down trees for cooking (Baruah, 2015). .

In addition, solar energy does not emit harmful substances which cause serious health implications such as respiratory conditions. This is

particularly the case with the use of firewood which produces smoke and other pollutants responsible for causing respiratory diseases. According to Pulak and Bhagirath (2016), the electrification of the rural areas of India has contributed in benefiting the local residents who feels that the solar project has contributed in improving the environmental standards by minimizing the household pollution which is caused by the use of the traditional energy sources such as kerosene and firewood. Solar energy therefore contributes in preventing people from experiencing health conditions that are caused by the use of traditional forms of energy.

Conclusion

Harnessing of solar energy is closely attributed to numerous economic and environmental benefits which result in the improvement of the livings conditions of the beneficiaries. Other than stimulating the economy of the regions, solar energy also help in savings and this contribute in upgrading the living conditions of the poor people. Solar energy also help in conserving the environment by avoiding cutting down of trees, emission of greenhouse gases and other pollutants through acting as an alternative energy to fossil, fuel and biomass sources. Nevertheless, solar energy usage is still at its infancy as it is rarely used by many and it constitute a small proportion as energy used worldwide.

References

• Sovacool, B. K., & D’Agostino, A. L. (2012). A comparative analysis of solar home system programmes in China, Laos, Mongolia and Papua New Guinea. Progress In Development Studies, 12(4), 315-335.
• Cansino, J., Cardenete, M., Gonzalez, J., & P. Pablo-Romero, M. (2013). Economic impacts of solar thermal electricity technology deployment on Andalusian productive activities: a CGE approach. Annals Of Regional Science, 50(1), 25-47.
• Mishra, P., & Behera, B. (2016). Socio-economic and
  

environmental implications of solar electrification: Experience of rural Odisha. Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews, 56953-964.