Photovoltaic - the most environmentally friendly form of energy generation
Even compared to other renewable energy sources. Photovoltaic is the most environmentally friendly form of energy generation. The operation is silent, no moving parts are required, storage of hazardous fuels is not necessary, and a long lifetime, low maintenance, nearly no operating costs and unattended operation keep overall costs down. Furthermore photovoltaic is a zero emission form of energy generation, hence it is one of the most climate friendly forms of energy production. Depending on the technology, the energy required to produce a solar module, is generated by the same module within one to three years, turning solar into an important ingredient when designing sustainable buildings and applications.
Harnessing the sun is beneficial for the environment, for your own budget and for the community. Imagine the space and cost involved by planting a forest to balance the carbon dioxide emissions produced to generate the same amount of energy as a 30 kWp solar system by fossil fuels:
Government incentives
Many governments around the globe have recognized the power of the sun and promote the installation of photovoltaic systems by offering special feed-in tariffs for energy produced by photovoltaic and/or investment incentives for renewable energy production plants.
Solar energy usage
While solar produced electricity in Europe is fed completely to the grid to make the most out of the feed-in tariff system, in the USA and at off-grid sites its advantage lies in the fact that it is known as distributed generation or DG, this means solar is generated where it's needed. Generated solar energy can be distributed to individual sites - warehouses, commercial buildings or retail stores - minimizing the impact of rolling brown-outs or blackouts, during high peak demand periods or when an aging electrical grid system is being overtaxed by increasing demand.
