Union of Concerned Scientists (2013) stated that the sun provides a tremendous resource for

generating clean and sustainable electricity without toxic pollution or global warming emissions. The
potential environmental impacts associated with solar power — land use and habitat loss, water use,
and the use of hazardous materials in manufacturing — can vary greatly depending on the technology,
which includes two broad categories: photovoltaic (PV) solar cells or concentrating solar thermal plants
(CSP).

According to Solar Energy Industries Association (2019) Solar power is energy from the sun that
is converted into thermal or electrical energy. Solar energy is the cleanest and most abundant
renewable energy source available, and the U.S. has some of the richest solar resources in the world.
Solar technologies can harness this energy for a variety of uses, including generating electricity,
providing light or a comfortable interior environment, and heating water for domestic, commercial, or
industrial use.

Solar Electric Power Company (2012) mentioned the advantage of Solar Energy: Solar power is
pollution free and causes no greenhouse gases to be emitted after installation. Reduced dependence on
foreign oil and fossil fuels. Renewable clean power that is available every day of the year, even cloudy
days produce some power. Return on investment unlike paying for utility bills. Virtually no maintenance
as solar panels last over 30 years. Creates jobs by employing solar panel manufacturers, solar installers,
etc. and in turn helps the economy. Excess power can be sold back to the power company if grid
intertied. Ability to live grid free if all power generated provides enough for the home / building. Can be
installed virtually anywhere; in a field to on a building. Use batteries to store extra power for use at
night. Solar can be used to heat water, power homes and building, even power cars. Safer than
traditional electric current. Efficiency is always improving so the same size solar that is available today
will become more efficient tomorrow. Aesthetics are improving making the solar more versatile
compared to older models; i.e. printing, flexible, solar shingles, etc.. Federal grants, tax incentives, and
rebate programs are available to help with initial costs

Lehigh (n.d.) stated that Solar energy is widely available and unlimited. No air or water pollution
is given off when solar panels are used for energy production. It does not require transport of fuels or
disposal of waste products. Solar energy produces electricity very quietly so it can be used in residential
areas without creating noise pollution. Solar panels can be installed on top of many rooftops. Therefore,
large amounts of open areas or not required for typical household use. Solar panels do not require a
direct connection to the grid. Solar energy has the ability to make electricity in remote locations that are
not linked to the grid. This is more cost efficient than running long sets of wires into remote locations.

U. S. Department of Energy (2018) stated that Solar energy systems/power plants do not
produce air pollution, water pollution, or greenhouse gases. Using solar energy can have a positive,
indirect effect on the environment when solar energy replaces or reduces the use of other energy
sources that have larger effects on the environment. However, some toxic materials and chemicals are
used to make the photovoltaic (PV) cells that convert sunlight into electricity. Some solar thermal
systems use potentially hazardous fluids to transfer heat. Leaks of these materials could be harmful to
the environment. U.S. environmental laws regulate the use and disposal of these types of materials.

According to FREEDOM SOLAR POWER (2018) A solar battery can connect to your solar power
system to enable you to use solar after the sun goes down, power an EV overnight, or provide backup
power during emergencies. Some homeowners may choose to go completely off the grid with a solar
power and battery system. In some cases, solar PV may be installed on an adjacent structure such as a
barn or mounted to the ground, and then connected to the meter using underground cabling. Utility
scale solar PV farms can generate enough electricity to power entire cities. An even more efficient solar
technology is concentrated solar power (CSP). A CSP solar farm uses mirrors to reflect and concentrate
the sun’s energy towards a tower or other receiver, generating heat that can power a turbine to create
electricity. That thermal energy may be stored before powering a generator, which makes it a more
flexible source of electricity than solar PV. The world’s largest CSP solar farm is the 390 megawatt (MW)
Ivanpah project in California’s Mojave Desert, although an even larger 580 MW CSP plant under
construction in Morocco may soon claim that title.

According to Energy Sage (2019) There are certain specifications you should use when
evaluating your solar battery options, such as how long the solar battery will last or how much power it
can provide. About all of the criteria that you should use to compare your home energy storage options,
as well as the different types of solar batteries.

Chua N. (2016) says that batteries are part of our everyday life. A day won’t go by without us
using our mobile phones. We use the remote control to switch the channels in our television. Our
flashlights, laptops, power banks, cars and other electronic devices use batteries to function properly.
Even solar panels in the Philippines use batteries, where they store the energy they collect from the sun.
To sum everything up, we unconsciously bump with batteries in everyday events.

Trevelyan J. (2019) stated that Economists predict rapid growth in micro-grid technology using
batteries. Environmentally conscious Germany, Japan, Australia and other countries have made use of
solar panels for many years to reduce energy costs. In parts of Africa where the AC grid is not sufficiently
developed to support all household activities, solar panels with battery backup are mandatory.
Renewable energy makes economic sense, but it is expensive. Most of the Western World is served with
cheap and reliable electricity from the AC grid with a per kilowatt-hour cost as low as US $0.06 in parts
of Canada, to $0.15 in many cities and up to $0.40 in some European countries. Electricity produced by a
solar panel comes in at about $0.20 per kWh. When including peripheral expenses, solar power in most
parts of the world is more expensive than buying electricity from the utilities, and as a rough guideline,
stored energy doubles the price.

Solar Power World (2015) stated that Solar battery technologies. Deep-cycle, lead-acid batteries
have been employed in renewable energy and reliably used in off-grid applications globally for decades.
Cost: Typical deep-cycle, lead-acid batteries cost significantly less than lithium-ion.

However, According to a U.S. Solar Energy Monitor (2015) reported lithium-ion batteries are the
most common storage technology, regardless of application. There are three types: pouches such as in
smartphones and tablets, cylindrical such as in power tools, and prismatic (which come in various
shapes) such as in electronic vehicles. Prismatic types often have corrugated sides, which create air gaps
between adjacent cells and can aid in cooling. The prismatic can have applications in solar energy
storage, specifically lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.

Reference:

Chua N. (2016) “Energy Storage Options: Different Kinds of Batteries” Retrieved from
http://solenergy.com.ph/solar-panel-philippines-batteries/ on March 11, 2019.
 Energy Sage (2019) “How to choose the best battery for a solar energy system” Retrieved from
https://www.energysage.com/solar/solar-energy-storage/what-are-the-best-batteries-for-solar-panels/
on March 11, 2019.

FREEDOM SOLAR POWER (2018) “7 USES OF SOLAR ENERGY” Retrieved from

https://freedomsolarpower.com/blog/7-uses-of-solar-energy on March 11, 2019.

Lehigh (n.d.) “Impacts of Energy Sources” Retrieved from

http://www.ei.lehigh.edu/learners/energy/impacts2.html on March 11, 2019.

Solar Electric Power Company (2012) “Solar Power Advantages and Disadvantages” Retrieved
from https://www.sepco-solarlighting.com/blog/bid/115086/Solar-Power-Advantages-and-
Disadvantages on March 11, 2019.

Solar Energy Industries Association (2019) “Solar Energy” Retrieved from

https://www.seia.org/initiatives/about-solar-energy on March 11, 2019.

Solar Power World (2015) “What is the best battery for solar storage projects?” Retrieved from
https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2015/08/what-is-the-best-type-of-battery-for-solar-storage/
on March 11, 2019.

Trevelyan J. (2019) “How to Store Renewable Energy in a Battery” Retrieved from

https://batteryuniversity.com/learn/article/bu_413a_storing_renewable_energy_in_a_battery on
March 11, 2019.

Union of Concerned Scientists (2013) “Environmental Impacts of Solar Power” Retrieved from
https://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/environmental-impacts-
solar-power.html on March 11, 2019.

U.S. Solar Energy Monitor (2015) “Solar storage charging up” Retrieved from
https://www.solarpowerworldonline.com/2015/06/solar-storage-charging-up/ on March 11, 2019.

U. S. Department of Energy (2018) “Solar Energy and the Environment” Retrieved from
https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/?page=solar_environment on March 11, 2019.