With heat waves getting hotter and hotter and sunshine getting stronger and stronger, the question on many people\’s minds is whether it is a good idea to invest some of that savings in renewable energy, more specifically solar panels and solar energy. Of course, this may seem like a waste of money. But let\’s break it down nicely into a few points here and see where it takes us.
1) Save on energy costs
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Even if it is only a few hundred kroner a month, it makes a huge difference. If you calculate how much people would save this way, more than one person would suggest that solar panels be automatically installed on every apartment building in the city. Why not? There is plenty of space, and if solar panels were installed in every apartment building in a hot city, the demand for energy supply would drop, at least in the summer, as everyone would be heating their water.
2) It would help the environment
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Who wouldn\’t want that? We are constantly being blamed from all sides for how dark we are falling into. Some might argue that one solar-powered house won\’t do anything. But it is still one more house. Before it was zero, now it is one house. And that number could increase as others are inspired. Even the local government could get excited. They will breathe easier soon, especially if they move so far away from burning coal and other less environmentally friendly fuels. Nuclear power like this is certainly clean energy, but who would want a nuclear reactor in their home?
3) Disposal must be addressed
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This is more of a disadvantageous point, but it should be mentioned. At some point, you will have to deal with where to actually dump the old, non-functioning panels. When this happens, a major problem arises. Older generation panels contain excess lead, which does not recycle well. Therefore, discarding this technology could create an even bigger environmental headache.