Solar power plants are, probably, the most popular power plants, that are running on renewable sources of energy. Though it is not the most popular source of energy among others, solar power plants produce about 6% of global electricity generation world wide. Now solar power is used by factories, office buildings, schools and universities and just normal households. Solar power went from an expensive and ineffective power source to a great and affordable ecological solution. We will talk not only about benefits of solar power plants, but also about their harm, that is not so bad, comparing to the harm of thermal power plants, but still deserves talking about.

Firstly, benefits of solar power plants, and obviously, they have a lot of them. The most significant benefit is their ecological friendliness; they do not produce any CO2 or greenhouse gases when generating electricity, which makes them a great alternative for thermal power plants that produce impossibly large amounts of greenhouse gases. Also, their mobility and affordability make them a very effective energy source, because any house owner can install a solar power plant in their backyard and provide electricity for themselves. Also, it is a great solution for households and businesses that are located in regions with damaged energetic infrastructure, because it is a souse that will generate power in all weather conditions and under any circumstances, making it also an independent power source.

But, as any power source, it is not flawless. Solar power plants have their own harms. The most important is production and installation of solar panels. Production of solar panels produces CO2 emissions that create a greenhouse effect, also in production of them many hazardous materials are used. Also, disposal of solar panels is not strictly regulated by all counties, because of that disposed solar panels pollute the environment.

In total, solar powerplants are a great energy source. They are ecologically friendly, affordable, mobile and independent. They do not create CO2 emissions when are generating electricity and can be installed almost anywhere with the access to the sunlight. They have their own flaws, such as CO2 emissions and usage of hazardous materials in production of solar panels and not strictly regulated disposal of them, but these harms are nothing, comparing to emissions from thermal power plants or radioactive waste from nuclear power plants.

References:

1. Sun machines. Solar, an energy source that gets cheaper and cheaper is going to be huge.  (2024, June 20). The Economist. Retrieved from https://www.economist.com/interactive/essay/2024/06/20/solar-power-is-going-to-be-huge
2. Vourvoulias A. (2024, October 21). Advantages and disadvantages of solar energy. Greenmatch. Retrieved from https://www.greenmatch.co.uk/blog/2014/08/5-advantages-and-5-disadvantages-of-solar-energy