With the increasing demand for energy across the globe and the numerous activities which demand energy, there is a need for renewable energy. Renewable energy is a great alternative to fossil fuels and is fast becoming an important part of power generation.

WHAT ARE RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES

Renewable energy resources are sources of energy that is continuously replenished through natural processes. These resources are alternatives to fossil fuels which are not renewable.

Coal and oil are examples of fossil fuels that produce energy when they are burned, but they have a very limited supply. But renewable energy sources can be very much replenished and are not limited.

This makes them very suitable because you don’t have to worry about running out of power supply.

renewable is changing the world with solar energy on  the lead
RENEWABLE ENERGY IS THE ANSWER TO OUR ENERGY NEEDS

Why you should consider Renewable Energy Resources

I could give you several reasons why you should go for renewable energy sources like solar energy however, I will try to be brief.

  • Renewable energy resources have a very limited negative impact on the environment compared to fossil fuels.
  • They are very much cost-effective, so they are a very good option for homeowners or office owners.
  • While non-renewable energy sources are available only in limited amounts, renewable energy sources are unlimited.
  • Sun, wind, and water (which are sources of renewable energy) are accessible in almost all the countries of the world, as opposed to non-renewable energy sources which are found majorly in some places.
  • With renewable energy resources, you are in major control of the energy in your home.

Types of Renewable Energy Resources

Solar Energy

This is the most common type of renewable energy in use. Solar energy has been used by humans to grow crops, stay warm and dry food.

Solar energy comes directly from the sun and supplies us with the full energy needed for survival. It enables us to produce direct energy from sunlight and in turn, convert it to electricity.

This electricity is used to power our homes and businesses. In addition to solar producing electricity, solar power can also be used to charge battery systems and produce hot water.

I could help install the solar power system in your home and help you do away with unnecessary spending on power generation.

Solar energy is also recommended because it does not pollute the environment, as it does not give off fossil fuels. Now you might be wondering how this solar energy is harnessed and put into use. I will make it very clear to you, continue reading!

Wind Energy

When you feel the wind, it simply means that you are feeling the movement of air from one place to another. This movement is a result of uneven heating of the earth’s surface. Now this wind can be captured to give off power by making use of large turbines. Turbines generate electricity when they spin.

Hydro Energy

Just like the way we produce electricity from moving air, electricity can also be generated from moving water. This can be done through the use of turbines. When moving water runs through a turbine, it spins it to produce electricity.

Geothermal Energy

When our planet was formed, the heat was trapped. Also during radioactive decay in the rock that is deep beneath the earth’s crust, heat is also trapped. The heat from these two sources results in a large amount of geothermal heat energy.

Just like wind power, and hydropower, geothermal heat energy is captured by using a turbine. This can be achieved by using steam from heated water to spin a turbine which aids in the generation of electricity.

Biomass

This is another renewable energy source. This biomass energy can be generated from recently living organic matters like plants and animals. This biomass are referred to as renewable because of how quickly plants can be regrown. And they also grow using renewable energy from the sun.

2050 projected renewable energy mix
THE WORLD IS DRAWING TOWARD A CLEAN ENERGY THROUGH RENEWABLE ENERGY, JOIN THE TREND AND SAVE OUR ENVIRONMENT FROM HARMFUL EFFECT OF NON-RENEWABLE
PHOTO CREDIT: ENERGYSAGE

The Solar Energy

I feel like more has to be said about solar energy because the power system is gradually turning to solar as the best alternative to energy generation. So let’s talk about the solar energy.

How Solar Energy is Harnessed

The sun is a massive nuclear reactor. Deep in the sun’s core, nuclear fusion reactions produce massive amounts of energy that radiate outward from the sun’s surface and into space in the form of light and heat.

Now to harness this , there are two major ways. It can be done either using photovoltaics commonly referred to as PV or by using solar thermal energy.

Application of Solar Energy

By using a photovoltaic solar system, solar panels convert sunlight to electricity directly. This process by which solar panels convert sunlight to electricity is called photovoltaic effect.

Here, incoming sunlight strikes a semiconductor material made of silicon and sets the electrons loose.

This sets them in motion and in turn causes them to generate an electric current that can be captured with the wiring. This current is known as direct current and it has to be converted to alternating current using solar inverter. When this is done, it can now power electrical appliances.

By using solar thermal system, heat is captured directly from solar radiation. This makes it available for use in different ways. The three major ways include:
  • Low temperature for heating and cooling
  • Mid temperature for heating water
  • High temperature for electrical power generation.

Low temperature– this has to do with heating and cooling of air as a means of climate control. This is particularly used in passive solar building designs. Here, the sun’s rays enter a living space to heat a particular area, and in turn blocked when that area needs to be cooled.

Mid temperature– this has to do with a solar hot water heating system. Collectors will be set up on your rooftop to capture heat from the sun. This heat will be transferred to the pipes channeling water to your homes.

In this case, you don’t need to keep depending on water heaters as the heat from the sun will serve as a natural heater.

High temperature– these ones are used to generate electricity for large scales. How this operates is that mirrors are set to focus the rays coming from the sun on tubes containing a liquid that can hold heat energy well.

This heated fluid turns water into steam and can be made to turn a turbine and generate electricity.

HOW TO INSTALL SOLAR PANELS

Solar panels are installed at three main scales.
Residential
Commercial
Utility

For residential, there are usually installed in rooftops or in open land. It generally ranges between 5 and 20kilowatts. This is largely dependent on property size.

For commercial, the installation is usually installed at a greater scale than residential. This is because it has more things to power.

For utility-scale solar projects, there are usually large several megawatts installations that provide solar energy to a large number of utility customers.

With all this been said, I recommend you read a step by step process of solar panel installation.

how to install solar panels
SOLAR PANELS INSTALLATION

ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF SOLAR ENERGY

With the world energy revolution focusing mainly on renewable energy-solar energy. There is a great need to understand the pros and cons of solar energy, this information is useful for homeowners who have complete home solar power system installed or yet to, researchers and students are not left behind.

We have put together a conclusive list of the pros and cons of solar energy with regards to homeowners’ perspective during the research work. Here is the list of toP pros and cons of solar energy in 2020:

ADVANTAGES OF SOLAR ENERGYDISADVANTAGES OF SOLAR ENERGY
1. Solar Energy is RenewableSolar storage is Expensive
2. Reduces your Electricity BillsSolar panel don’t work in some roof
3. Improve the value of your homeSolar is Weather Dependent
4. Environmental FriendlyAssociated with Pollution
5. Low Maintenance CostSolar panels require Space
6. Technological Development
TOP PROS AND CONS OF SOLAR ENERGY 2020

ADVANTAGES OF SOLAR ENERGY

1. Solar Energy is Renewable

The foremost advantage of solar energy is that it’s a truly renewable energy source-its replenish on its own.

Solar energy as a renewable energy source also means that its abundant, reliable, It can be harnessed in all areas of the world and is available every day.

Solar energy is always available and we can not run out it unlike non-renewable energy sources(fossil fuel, coal, nuclear, etc), though scientists predicted that the sun might die in the next 5 billion years to come.

2. Installing Solar Energy Reduces your Electricity Bills

Going solar will not just reduce your electricity bills, you stand a chance to earn some money as well. As your solar panels will be providing your energy needs, excess power produced by your solar would be sold to the utility grid through net metering.

In many states, adding solar panels to your home can bring in electric bill savings of well over $1,000 per year depending on the size of your solar panels.

But if you are living in Nigeria, you might probably not pay up to half of your annual electricity bill because your monthly NEPA bills will be charged all most half of its initial amount.

3. Improve the value of your Home

Going solar will not only provide you with a constant power supply but it will to a great extent improve the value of your home.
If you’re planning on moving in the near future, you’ll earn back your solar panel investment and then some when you sell your home.

To learn more about the increased resale value of solar homes and find out just how much solar adds to the market value of your property, check out this article on solar and property values.

4. Solar Energy is Environmental Friendly

Going solar is a great option because it will not only provide all your energy needs but it a great way to reduce the environmental damage that non-renewable energies(fossil fuels, coal, nuclear, etc) have cause to our climate.

The pros of solar energy can’t be overemphasized, it reduces our carbon footprints because solar produces clean, silent, and constant energy.

If you can’t afford a complete home solar system, use a solar product it will help create a clean and secure environment for us all.

5. Low Maintenance Cost

The cost of maintaining a solar is usually very low, this is because it doesn’t really have moving parts so the issue of wear and tear is scrapped off. So You only need to keep them relatively clean, so cleaning them a couple of times per year will do the job.

Though a solar invert might need to be changed after 4-8 years, this is because the inverter works continuously every day to convert DC current into AC current for electrical consumption in the house.

The cable and solar storage battery don’t really need much maintenance, just learn how to check the health of your solar battery and nothing more. So, after covering the initial cost of the solar system, you can expect very little spending on maintenance throughout the lifetime of your solar panel (25-30 years).

6. Improvements in Technological Development

The world is changing and improving everyday especially in science and technology so solar energy won’t be an exception. The advancement and innovations in solar energy industry are coming towards improving the efficiency of solar panels to even triple what we have now.

This of course is very much possible through innovation in nanotechnology and quantum physics.

DISADVANTAGES OF SOLAR ENERGY

1. Energy Storage is Expensive

Indeed one of the set-backs in going solar is the cost of installation, inverters, batteries, and so on. Solar storage bank is needed for you to go completely off-grid. But the cost of batteries shouldn’t be much of stress because most of our energy needs come during the day when the sunlight is still shining bright, so you can use solar during the day and drawback to your utility grid at night.

2. Solar Panels Don’t work for every Type of Roof

Although solar panels are installed in the rooftop by connecting a mounting system (also known as “racking”). Certain roofing materials used in older or historical homes, such as slate or cedar tiles, can be difficult for solar installers to work with, this a major hindrance to solar power installation.

Additionally, many homes and apartment buildings have skylights or other rooftop additions like roof decks that can make the solar installation process difficult or costly.

But this isn’t the deadlock to your dream of having constant power supply using solar energy because If your home doesn’t qualify for a rooftop solar installation, you still have options: ground-mount solar panels or buying a share in a community solar garden can get you around this disadvantage of solar energy and you can have the clean, silent and constant power supply you deserve from solar energy.

3. Solar Energy is Weather Dependent

Although solar energy can still be collected during cloudy and rainy days, the efficiency of the solar system drops. Solar panels are dependent on sunlight to effectively gather solar energy. Therefore, a few cloudy, rainy days can have a noticeable effect on the energy system.

You should also take into account that solar energy cannot be collected during the night. On the other hand, if you also require your water heating solution to work at night or during wintertime, thermodynamic panels are an alternative to consider.

4. Solar panels are Associated with Pollution

Environmental pollution is one of the world’s climate problems which we are trying to curb through the use of solar energy. Although solar energy can be associated with pollution, the environmental impact of solar panels is minimal compared to the amount of damage associated with the mining and burning of fossil fuels.

Some solar panels contain harmful pollutants on the process of manufacturing, like sulfur hexafluoride, which is more potent than carbon dioxide. However, the impact of carbon dioxide on the climate is much greater than that of sulfur hexafluoride.

Solar Panels Require Space

Depending on your energy need, a rooftop solar panel with good storage bank can be enough to give you a constant power supply but if you are looking for large solar installations then you will be needing larger space because solar panels have lower power density compared to other non-renewable energy sources (fossil fuels).

Power density can be defined as the amount of power that can be derived from an energy source within a certain area, its measured in watts per square meter (W/m2).
Thus, although you would need a large solar power plant and a small coal plant, the mining of coal destroys acres upon acres of land, whereas the solar power plant does not.

Be wise and choose a solar product today, save the world from the environmental hazards created by non-renewable energy(fossil fuel, coal, and nuclear).

CONCLUSION

This article explains the definition of renewable energy, solar energy and types of renewable energy. Through a proper research, I have come up with the top pros and cons of solar energy from customers perspective.

This article is suitable for homeowners seeking answers about solar energy, or those yet to install solar energy, researchers on solar projects and students.

Using renewable energy sources in your home can increase the shift towards a clean energy future. Even if you are not yet able to install solar panels (which I still recommend you do), you can use electricity from a clean energy source. Please help us serve you better by putting your suggestions and contributions in the comment box.

NAIHCOTECH

Without mincing words, the poor power supply has been a terrible cankerworm eating deep into the fabrics of Africa as a continent.

It is expected that a continent ranking in the top ten list of crude oil production will have a very comfortable state of living.

Is it still news that an average African man carries his charger around, looking for the nearest opportunity to charge his appliances? Is it still news that an average African Child dances around at the sight of electricity? What does that depict, the Power system has not served us properly.

african power problem
cutting of light is a common problem that African citizens face each day due to the high cost of the grid system of power supply


This alone shows why there is a great record of poverty and hunger in Africa. Or is there any magic wand that will make Africa rich and prosperous even as we have an epileptic power supply? I am not here to lament, I am only here to draw our minds back on what have been, and lead us into a journey of what should be.

THE CURRENT STATE OF AFRICA AND PROBLEMS CAUSED BY LACK OF POWER SUPPLY


The major challenges we face in Africa are poverty which leads to hunger, unemployment, and mismanagement. Now I know you will be asking what this has to do with the power issue I presented.

But I will categorically tell you that it has everything to do with it. Over the years, the major source of power supply in Africa is through the use of non-renewable energy resources, like coal and crude oil. Not minding the fact that this has sustained us, it has also caused us harm.

Because of the lack of proper power supply, and the large expenses associated with the model of energy Africa is practicing. So many underdeveloped countries cannot harness the potentials in Agriculture. How far will the manual method of practicing agriculture take them?

Agriculture is a major way in which many countries survive. But this agriculture is most times limited because of the harm renewable energy cause in the ecosystem. The most common of them all is oil spillage which is mostly due to mismanagement and most times due to unforeseen circumstances.

THE IDEA BEHIND THIS ARTICLE IS TO OPEN OUR TOWARDS INVESTING IN RENEWABLE ENERGY AS ITS A SOLUTION TO PROBLEM

We have heard so much of oil spillage. Do I need to tell you the consequences of oil spillage? Oil spillage causes so much harm and damage to our aquatic animals especially fishes. When this is the case, what is the hope of the fishermen who has fishing as the major source of their income? Also, what is the fate of the aquatic ecosystem?

Using Nigeria as a case study, oil spillage has caused great damages to our farm produce. Often lands that are affected don’t get to produce enough seeds? The ultimate result of this is hunger, poverty, and a decline in the nation’s GDP.

Moreover, how can I explain that some developing countries in Africa do not have access to even this electricity generated from non-renewable sources? How can I explain that even in developed countries, only those in the middle class and upper class can access the electrical grid?

Is that not a clear indication, that there is a limit to where non-renewable energy resources can go?

OTHER MAJOR PROBLEMS CAUSED BY POOR POWER SUPPLY

We are not done with the problems Africa faces due to poor power supply. One very disturbing one is air pollution. It is no longer news that Africa has been turned to a dumping ground for different kinds of generators.

Because most African countries’ power sector can barely generate constant power supply, this is our only alternative. What of the terrible health implications the smoke from these generators cause? Fumes from generators contain carbon monoxide which is toxic to health yet every day, millions of homes put on their generators inhaling these fumes.

africa power crisis
using old modern lantern to read due to lack of power supply

Another disturbing aspect of this poor power supply is that it has lead to an increase in the number of death in our various hospitals. It is no longer news that most patients die because there is no power to carry out major operations.

THIS POWER SUPPLY CRISIS AFFECTS ALL SECTORS

Even the education sector is not left out in this mess. Africa is still very much into manual learning. We cannot even think of adopting the E-learning method now because there is no light to power our gadgets. Or should I now say of the numerous times students are denied access to practical and laboratory rooms because of a poor power supply?

Most of them all are corruption. Because of how non-renewable energy runs, it is very easy for politicians and people in charge of the power sector to amass wealth. It has become an avenue for money generation.

The heartbreaking aspect of it all is that most of the major countries we export oil to, are no longer very much interested. The pandemic hit makes matters worst as oil price continues to decline to the barest minimum.

Am I the only one sensing the great danger looming ahead? Have we stopped to ask ourselves why oil that seemed to be a major source of power supply suddenly lost its value?

Okay, in case you asked that question and got no answer, here is the answer – “It is majorly because most of the developing countries have gone out of the era of seeing non-renewable energy resources as their ultimate savior”. The new deal is Renewable energy resources. Yes, I said that. Let’s not panic too much, there is hope.

Now, stick with me here let’s have more discourse on how we can be saved from the power issue.

THE ANSWER TO OUR PROBLEM IS CLEAN ENERGY RESOURCES

When I say clean energy resources, I am talking about renewable energy resources. Are you aware that Africa asides crude oil is also one of the continents that have great access to renewable energy sources?

We are blessed with abundant sunlight, we have water, the wind is practically everywhere. I mentioned them because this is the basis of renewable energy resources.

HOW CAN THE VARIOUS RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES SAVE US?

SOLAR ENERGY

Solar is the easiest renewable energy source that can go so far to save even the most underdeveloped countries.

Instead of pouring the limited resources, we have into fossil fuels. What if the government convert that money and provide as many solar panels as possible to various regions?

What prevents individuals in the middle and upper class from installing solar panels in their homes. So that the government will use the non-renewable energy to focus on the lower class citizens that can’t afford solar?

africa power crisis, make use of solar in rural area
solar power can also be installed in the rural area

Now you will ask, what happens when climate changes and there is no much sun. My answer is, then we will be sustained by the solar storage bank. Because each complete home solar system comes with a big battery back up. I am glad we all know that the times in the year we have abundant sunlight in Africa, is greater than the times we don’t have it.

The goal is to reduce the way we heat the ecosystem and to provide a more sustainable source of power supply.

WIND ENERGY

What is the use of only receiving fresh air, and expecting heavy rain when the day becomes windy when we can use it to generate electricity?.

As I leave you to ponder, I will tell you that with the use of turbines, we can convert wind into electricity, yes it is possible. When these turbines in question spin, they generate electricity.

Now, this may not be used for house consumption. It is normally used for large scale businesses. If all the big organizations that produce different things, make use of this wind energy, and invest in a one-time installation, the cases of low energy for production will be reduced to the barest minimum.

Prices of goods and services will be reduced because you are no more burning money trying to purchase fossil fuels or gas. There will be more spaces for employment as there will be enough to power to provide more services.

I am very sure that the goal is to provide a better Africa, so I don’t see the reason why any organization that can afford this won’t go for it.

HYDRO POWER

Do you know that apart from domestic use and transportation, water can help us generate electricity? With the use of turbines, we can generate energy from water.

See, the thing is that all the natural resources Africa is blessed with are capable of saving us from our power crisis.

Geothermal energy and biomass are also other sources of renewable energy sources.

WHY WE SHOULD ALL EMBRACE RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES

As I mentioned earlier, it is highly a clean energy source. It does not have any single effect on the ecosystem. Asides geothermal energy which can lead to earthquakes when not properly managed, it is completely harmless.

It saves cost as it only needs a one-time installation.
It is very much accessible as these natural resources are not bought.
As we are all hoping for the government to embrace this fully. We can start from our various homes and companies to implement this, and save ourselves from further harm.

CONCLUSION

In as much we are currently facing a power crisis, which is in turn affecting various sectors of our economy. We are delighted by the fact that there is hope for change and improvement.

Why should we remain in the dark while others are moving forward to embrace the innovative idea of the solar power system especially?

The big countries like the United States and China that are making use of this renewable energy are not better than us, we are even more endowed naturally. So it is only a matter of careful planning for us to get there and save ourselves.

It is also worthy of note that so many big countries in Africa are already using this renewable energy as an alternative that is why you will find. Noor concentrated solar power plant In Morocco, Lake Turkana wind farm in Kenya, and Grand Renaissance Dam in Ethiopia.

ESI, Africa’s Power Journal reported Egypt, South Africa, Kenya, Namibia, and Ghana as Africa’s fastest-growing markets and so far, it has led to an upscale in their industrial and commercial sector.

Thus, other African countries should learn from them as they are already setting the pace. We will keep looking forward to a great and better Africa.