Different energy resource are being tapped to provide for the world’s energy requirement which is steadily growing due to economic development. The transport, power, industrial, commercial and residential sectors all need energy to sustain their daily activities. Big percentage of energy needs of countries are provided by traditional energy resource which include fossil oil and coal, among others. With the need to find alternatives to these traditional energy resource and the growing sentiments against environment pollutants, countries started to tap clean and renewable form of energy. One of them is solar energy.

At the outset, it is good to know about the advantages of solar energy. Like biomass, ocean, hydropower, geothermal and wind, solar energy is renewable. This means that it can be replenished on a regular basis at a rapid rate and can make itself available over an indefinite period of time. Solar energy is derived from solar radiation that can be converted to electrical energy.  As such, it is accessible to all as sun’s heat practically reaches the entire earth’s surface. Being everywhere, solar energy is a good option for isolated areas like islands that are not connected to the main grid. Consequently, they can have access to electricity through use of portable solar technologies like solar panels made up of photovoltaic cells that convert solar energy directly to electricity. Since sun’s heat is a free commodity, one could reduce electricity bill and in some instances when infrastructure is available can save more by selling back extra electricity generated from solar to the electric company. Another glaring advantage of solar energy is its being a clean energy. It does not emit materials harmful to living things and the surroundings. With the use of solar energy, one can therefore enjoy using electricity without contributing to the pollution that harms the environment.

Solar energy has also its limitations. It being in the early stage of development, solar technologies are still relatively expensive including those that can be used for its storage. Fact is, without sunshine, as well as during nighttime there can be no solar energy. It is, however, projected that in due time and with technological breakthroughs, these issues would be over and done with.

Knowing the above advantages and disadvantages of solar energy, one is somehow guided in case he is faced with an option to shift to solar energy use.