The use of solar power is becoming more widespread as society sees the effects of dependence on fossil fuels as an energy source. Burning oil for energy has many insidious side effects on the atmosphere such as releasing greenhouse gases, carcinogens and carbon dioxide into the air. When you also take into account the devastating effects of an oil spill, as seen recently then it becomes clear that society as a whole has to look for alternatives to oil.

Solar has many advantages though like most things it isn’t without it’s flaws. The most obvious being energy from solar panels cannot be generated at night or during a cloudy day. However compared to the advantages this is a very minor issue. Some of the advantages are:

Solar power is a completely renewable energy source. Unlike oil which we have a finite amount of; solar energy is always able to harnessed from the sun

Solar Panels are neither an eyesore or noise pollution. In fact they don’t make any noise at all. They simply soak up the suns rays and convert them to energy without a peep.

Solar Panels are very low maintenance. They have no moving parts so it is near impossible to break them. Once they are installed the only thing you have to worry about it an occasional cleaning

It can can save you money. Whilst installing solar panels initially can be a little expensive once they are installed there is no cost. Think about how much you spend on your energy bills at the moment and how much you could save in the long run by switching to solar power.

Solar technology is always improving. As more and more people start to see the benefits the demand for more solar powered products increases.

Though a full switch to solar energy might seem strange and futuristic solar power is actually a lot more commonplace than you might think. Most calculators have solar panels and them and many of NASA's spacecrafts have solar panels attached to them. As with any kind of technology: the more research that is put into it and cheaper manufacturing methods are discovered the more affordable and widespread it will become

As global warming becomes an ever increasing problem in society it seems as though it's just a matter of time before the switch to solar power is inevitable.

I think this amply sums up the pros and cons of solar power