Harnessing solar energy for a sustainable planet

Date :- 5 September 2022

For millions of years, the life on the planet and the ecological balance of the universe revolved around the Sun. The importance of this divine and unceasing source of pure energy has been recognized by our ancestors thousands of years ago. We can also find many Sanskrit compositions in the Vedic scriptures praising the Sun. Solar power is indeed the lifeline for all living beings on earth.

However, today, due to the rising impact of greenhouse gases, industrial and vehicular pollution, and because of excessive use of fossil fuels vis-à-vis conventional energy, the world is facing climatic changes and ecological imbalance. Combustion of fossil fuels like coal, oil, and natural gas makes the environment acidic, leading to an unprecedented negative impact on the environment.

In light of the above, the global community has become increasingly aware and concerned about the use of green energy or renewable energy. When we talk about renewable energy, we come across five energy sources: (i) Solar Energy (ii) Wind Energy (iii) Geothermal Energy (iv) Hydro Energy (v) Ocean Energy. Amongst these five sources, solar energy is easily accessible and constantly available across the universe in infinite form. Asian countries in general, and India in particular, are blessed with unceasing solar energy, and we need to make the best use of it to overcome the energy crisis.

This divine source of clean energy is the most economical one, and making optimum use of solar power can save us millions of dollars every year. However, apart from saving precious foreign exchange reserves, it is also significant to use solar energy to safeguard the ecological balance and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and the resultant catastrophic impact on human life.

Harnessing abundant solar energy involves an initial investment. However, it is a good ROI due to its effective performance and longevity. In the long run, the cost of generating solar power works out much cheaper and proves to be more reliable than conventional energy. It gives assured ROI in a short period and proves to be beneficial for generations together. The installation of various solar equipment like solar water heater systems, solar electricity systems, solar lamps, solar heat pumps, and water pumps brings us immense benefits and virtually free energy throughout the year. More significantly, this solar energy equipment requires hardly any maintenance and gives an efficient performance for years.