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

The only drawbacks are

(1) it's not really efficient yet--for most applications, the costs (resources) expended in constructing solar power devices are hard to recuperate in energy savings during the lifetime of the device.

(2) Batteries go hand-in-hand with solar power. (The sun doesn't shine all the time). Most battery technologies in use today involve nasty toxic chemicals.

Your fears about robbing the earth of sunlight are unfounded. Temperature would increase if we converted more of the sun's light to work (and then to heat) instead of letting it bounce away. Viewed in a very macroscopic way, agriculture is just solar power really. Plants convert sunlight to energy, which we use by eating or burning or whatever.

Answer 2

I wouldn't suspect it would have any effect of "robbing" the Earth itself of any energy by blocking rays. The major negative effect of solar energy is the production of solar panels. The energy it requires to create one solar panel takes more energy than that panel will create its self. Therefore it's not an effective large scale energy resource.

Answer 3

I think that it will help to warm the earth even more.

Why ?


Because now solar energy is reflecrted back into space
but with those solar cells the energy is caught and used in for instance electrical heating devices

No its not a good idea

Answer 4

You could probably put solar cells on building roofs, which would not rob the Earth of any more sunlight than the building itself already does.

But manufacturing solar cells in large amounts would probably produce a lot of pollution as a by product of manufacturing anything.

Answer 5

You assume incorrectly. Solar energy enters the earth's biosphere in many forms. And once it is captured in solar arrays, it is still available in other forms, all of which degenerate into heat.

There is ONE negative effect of solar energy: Sunburn.

Answer 6

If the earth is not absorbing the effects of the sun and it is being collected for other uses doesn't it make sense that the warming effect would not be"felt" by the earth and therefore reduce the effects of "global warming"

Answer 7

I believe solar energy is in abundance. The only drawback, and the reason it isn't widely used, is it does not continue to generate income for fuel companies. Once the initiall investment is made in the equipment, you recieve your energy at no cost. Unlike fossil fuels, where you need to continue drilling, extracting, refining and so on.