The advantages of solar energy are so numerous that the solar power industry is bound to grow in the future, even if solar energy remains a complement or an alternative to other energy resources.

First, solar energy is a universal resource. It can be used practically anywhere and can be implemented by pretty much anybody. It provides a high degree of local independence as no third party power facility or resources are needed. In these times of political and economic upheaval, this could fast become one of the key advantages of solar energy.

Another big advantage is that solar energy is renewable. Renewable energy sources recur naturally and repetitiously in the environment. They cannot be depleted. This is the case of solar energy which will last as long as we have a sun. Oil and other fossil fuel sources are not considered renewable because they take thousands of years to form and can be depleted to extinction.

Solar energy does not pollute. This is perhaps the largest advantage of solar energy. While oil and fossil fuel consumption releases greenhouse gases or carbon dioxide into the air and often pollute the water, solar energy is neutral to the environment. In addition, there is no impact to the environment when obtaining solar power, unlike when drilling, dredging, and mining for fossil fuel reserves.

Another advantage of solar energy is that it has mostly a fixed cost. There is a cost to set up your solar collection array and storage capacity, but after that initial investment, you will experience deep cost cuts in energy expenditures because sunlight is free. As solar infrastructure develops and technologies improve, solar energy will increasingly be seen as a cost saving opportunity.

Solar cells require low maintenance and have a long performance life. In the long run, it saves the consumer money and represents an advantage vs classical fuel resources. Whether the price of gasoline or fuel oil is going up or down, it is never free. On the contrary, the price of solar products are increasingly falling as technology improves and demand increases. When you match this to the steadily rising costs of fossil fuels, you have an on-going cost equation in favor of solar energy, only strengthened by the many tax exemptions, credits, and deductions offered for the installation and use of solar powered products by countries around the globe.

Overall, it is clear that the advantages of solar energy are numerous and that this alternative resource could bring a safer, cleaner environment for the planet and its people.

However, there are some significant hurdles to overcome before solar power is widely used. First there is an existing infrastructure based on fossil resources that needs to be converted. Second, solar energy is not collected on cloudy, rainy days, or at night. Although the capacity for storing solar energy is good right now and will increase with time, it is no as constant and reliable as other resources. Third, the conversion to this alternative energy source will represent some economic and social upheaval as traditional jobs will be lost in the oil industry to be replaced by new skills and jobs. Fourth, there are some environmental concerns about the manufacturing processes used to create solar products. Harmful gases are released to the atmosphere due to the use of fossil fuels. However, this environmental paradox might soon be offset as more manufacturers use solar energy in the manufacturing process of these solar products, and a disadvantage could be turned into one of the advantages of solar energy.

All in all, there are more pros than cons to using solar power in the long run. Most of the disadvantages are short-term and can be attributed to the conversion from one energy source to another.

The increasing demand for money-saving, non-polluting and universal energy will probably make solar energy a very good alternative to the burning of fossil fuels currently used all over the world today.

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