What drives the development and eventual deployment of any process or technology? It is it's economic viability. Every course of action in today's world is based upon financial benefits. Solar energy technology is no different. We receive trillions of kWh of solar power on earth from the sun every day, which is far more than the total energy consumption of the world.

In spite of availability of this enormous energy resource, we are producing an almost negligible amount of usable solar energy compared to other energy resources. The entire world still relies on conventional energy that is based on our non-renewable resources such as coal and oil. Why? It all boils down to the economic feasibility of harnessing solar power. In other words, the consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of solar power remains the biggest concern for the entire world.

The Advantage

On one side of the advantage disadvantage solar power equation, there are tremendous advantages of harnessing solar energy. The most significant being that it is inexhaustible and renewable. It is going to be there as long as our planet earth exists and that translates into no further exploration costs for the resources.

Solar energy is clean and pollution free unlike coal and oil, which generate high levels of pollution, resulting in slow and steady extermination of our environment. In essence, solar energy systems are versatile, reliable, adaptable, and pollution-free whereas conventional resources threaten the very existence of life on earth.

The Disadvantage

On the adverse side of the advantage disadvantage solar energy equation, the technology to utilize solar power is still in an infancy stage. There are major problems that have to be resolved before solar technology can replace our conventional non-renewable energy resources.

The most significant challenge is the economics of the technology. The constraint of solar technology deployment over large areas is one of the major hurdles, which has to be overcome for its success. We need to invest in further research and development to find solutions for problems such as disposal of waste products generated by various solar energy technologies during their manufacture.

The long-term Success of Solar Power Technologies

The long-term success of solar power technologies, most of which are still in the demonstration phase, depends on continued technological progress. It requires a strong desire and commitment to clean energy on part of the politicians worldwide. The advantages disadvantages solar energy balance can tilt in favor of solar power with research and development activities to improve existing solar energy technologies and an innovative approach to develop new technologies.

It will require a lot of concentrated effort on the part of all developed and developing nations to invest in solar technology so the entire world can reap the benefits of the solar power that is vast and virtually infinite. We need to design more cost-effective solar energy systems and to improve the durability of materials used in those systems. These systems have to be made more accessible to the average consumer, and economically viable to encourage individual consumers to support this new technology. In turn, this will help the entire world reduce its consumption of fossil fuels resulting in a pollution free environment on planet earth.