Design Summary Reader Response of Solar Panels - Draft 2

 The Economic Times released an article “What are solar light panels and how do they work” (2019) explained to the public the purpose, application, and features of solar light panels. It consists of solar cells that are made from silicon crystals which are the main semiconductive material used in photovoltaic technology to generate solar power from sunlight. The Economic Times wrote that “The solar light panel system comprises of PV modules, electrical connections, mounting hardware, power conditioning equipment and batteries for storing the generated electricity” (2019). Since the system has a small number of components, it can be easily installed in homes to reduce electricity costs and global warming’s effect (The Economic Times, 2019). In addition to being appropriate use in homes, solar panels can also be used in a variety of climates and extreme environmental conditions, for example, space or saltwater environments due to their design of having a glass and metal frame that surrounds the panel making it very sturdy and durable. Moreover, a solar panel’s frame, glass, and solar cells can also be manipulated into different shapes and sizes, allowing it to fit a wide range of requirements. In the face of diminishing fossil fuels and growing global warming, equatorial countries should adopt solar energy over wind energy world due to its design structure, materials, and properties which result in solar panels being more versatile, have a positive impact on wildlife, and contribute less to noise pollution when compared with wind turbine.

 

In terms of noise pollution, SP emits lesser noise while operating due to its stationary nature, whereas WT produces a great deal of sound, especially during high winds. An article commented that “Smaller turbines, at high speeds, can be as loud as a lawnmower (Solar-Panel.org, 2021)”. When a wind turbine placed 300 meters away from a house can generate sound pressure levels of 43 decibels which are close to an average human speech of 50 decibels (ReliablePlant, n.d). As a result, SP can be equally effective in urban and rural areas due to its characteristics in relation to sound generation.  Thus, the government would be able to reduce the number of factors to be considered when selecting a location for the installation of SP compared to WT.

 

WT can also negatively affect wildlife, as they are capable to reach 180 miles/h under extremely windy conditions (Clayton, 2020), presenting a threat to flying creatures Most of the deaths of birds and bats happen when they crashed into the turbines and increase the maintenance costs to the government instead of lowering their electricity bills (Lafleur, 2019). On the other hand, SP has a beneficial impact on wildlife based on the structure and shape of the solar panel. In Nuñez’s articles, an organization called “Woodlands” shared their studies suggesting how PV panels are capable to protect small mammals and birds by providing shelter from rain and predator due to the large surface area of the SP (Nuñez, 2022). Hence, SP is much more environmentally friendly to wildlife, especially with many birds on the verge of extinction.

Lastly, the installation criteria of SP are more versatile compared to WT. The Economics Times mentioned that “The PV cells are available in different shapes and sizes and may have a maximum length of several inches (The Economic Times, 2019)”. As PV cells are formed using solar cells, the arrangement can be easily manipulated, adapting to a wide range of conditions. On the contrary, WT comes in larger sizes and required a lot more land space for installation. Hartman’s article reported that offshore turbine hub heights are typically 150m and the diameter of the average rotor was 127.5 meters, longer than a football field (Hartman, 2022). Even though WT with large rotor diameter and taller towers can sweep more area and capture more wind energy to produce more electricity. The government must consider several factors including land use, noise levels, adverse impacts on wildlife, and future work plans for surrounding areas. Hence, solar panel offer greater flexibility due to their design and creates more working space for the government in the future.

 

However, there are advantages to using WT as an alternative to SP in specific locations, since they convert up to 60% of the energy they generate into usable electricity. On the other hand, the most efficient SP only produces about 22% of the energy harnessed from sunlight (Regen Power, 2021). As a result, this shows that a single wind turbine could outperform a solar panel as an alternative energy source due to its high-efficiency level, but this could be overturned depending on the criteria and land use of the wind turbine installation. Utilizing the same land area of a wind turbine, we could install more SP which could potentially out scale the electricity converted from a single wind turbine.

 

In conclusion, SP is much more efficient as an alternative energy source, especially in countries with a sunny climate. SP is highly eco-friendly and does not cause any adverse effects on the environment. Furthermore, they tend to be neighbourhood friendly that can be installed in both urban and rural areas compared to WT. Notedly, wind turbine tends to have a higher efficiency level when utilize in the correct areas. However, the disadvantages of having a wind turbine had out scaled the efficiency level and it can be solved by installing more SP or creating a higher efficiency solar panel by changing different types of solar cells. Therefore, SP has great potential for replacing WT as an alternative energy source around equatorial countries due to its capabilities.

Reference:

Clayton, D. (2020, September 9). How Fast do Wind Turbines Spin? (Faster Than You Think). Energy Fllower. https://energyfollower.com/how-fast-do-wind-turbines-spin/

Hartman, L. (2022, August 16). Wind Turbines: the Bigger, the Better. Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy. https://www.energy.gov/eere/articles/wind-turbines-bigger-better#:~:text=The%20average%20rotor%20diameter%20in,wind%2C%20and%20produce%20more%20electricity.

Lafleur, C. (2019, September 14). Are wind farms a threat to wildlife? Let’s Talk Science. https://letstalkscience.ca/educational-resources/stem-in-context/are-wind-farms-a-threat-wildlife

Noria Corporation. (2010, November 19). Just how loud is a wind turbine? Reliable Plant. https://www.reliableplant.com/Read/27499/How-loud-wind-turbine

Nuñez, J. (2022, June 13). The benefits of solar PV for wildlife. Quintas Energy. https://blog.quintasenergy.com/the-hidden-benefits-of-solar-pv-for-wildlife

Regen Power. (2021, December 05). Wind or Solar, Which renewable energy is better? Regen Power. https://regenpower.com/articles/which-renewable-energy-is-better-wind-or-solar/

Solar-Panel.org. (2021, August 03). Solar Energy vs Wind Energy. Solar. https://www.solar-panels.org/about-solar-energy/solar-energy-vs-wind-energy/

The Economic Times (2019, May 7). What are solar light panels and how do they work. The Economic Times. https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/small-biz/productline/power-generation/what-are-solar-light-panels-and-how-do-they-work/articleshow/69130408.cms?from=mdr