What are (if any) the negative effects of solar energy?

Question

I'm assuming that collecting solar energy essentially "robs" the earth of the energy from sunlight. If this solar energy was used on a much larger scale, what effect would it have on the earth? Perhaps lower global temperature?

tell me what you think

Answer 1

If a desert area which now reflects the much of the visible light incident on it were covered with solar cells, or anything that absorbed light and decreased the reflection, the radiate energy from the earth into space would decrease. I have no idea how much area it would take to be comparable to the decrease in radiant energy caused by man made CO2. But since visible light carries more energy than the infrared and the atmosphere is transparent in the visible, it is possible that it could be significant.

Answer 2

Its a good question--but the good news is tat solar energy need have NO negative effects.

Here's why: When solar energy reaches earth, it is either reflected back into space or it's converted into something else--heat, lignht, etc. A solar energy panel takes the energy striking it (some of it, they're fare from 100% efficient) and converts it to electricity--which humans use in the form of heat, light, etc. The energy just gets released back into the environment were it would have been to start with--no net change.

Conceivably, somebody could muck this up-say by covering over enough greenspace with solar panels to cause environmental damage. But what for--even if we restricted solar panels to rooftops, we'd have all the power we need long before we run out of roofs. No kidding--if we utilized all of it, the sunlight striking the roof of a small house (say a single-story 1500 square foot home) is about 200,000 watts (no that's not a typo). And right now, all that energy does nothing (except run up your AC bill in the usmmer).

Answer 3

All negative effects of solar energy being converted to radiant heat. Probably higher global temperature, since all negative effects of solar energy being converted to radiant heat.

Answer 4

Think of the surface of the solar panels compared to the earth's surface.