Solar energy advantages disadvan- tages are the number one thing to consider when considering installing a new system. Though the advantages and disadvantages of solar power can be different for different people and different applications or areas, some of them are the same. Let us start with positive, solar energy is free, but to capture it is not free. This is the number one factor that makes solar power so great yet so unaffordable. Climate can be an advantage or disadvantage. If you in a cloudy area and don’t get much sun you’re not going to produce enough power to make the system pay for itself. However if you live in a sunny climate you’ll be making a fair amount of electricity during peak hours and have a steady production which in turn may cover costs.

Of course it is a renewable resource it won’t run out and doesn’t produce byproducts during energy production. Its great in that it is very portable and has a broad range of uses. There is no waste product, it has minimal impact on the environment, and has a long operation life as far as the equipment is concerned (20 year warranty is the industry norm). Unlike wind generators, or electricity plants, solar energy production is silent. Besides maintenance of batteries your solar array will usually be maintenance free and once it is paid for it will only make you money. The main disadvantages are the low outputs during cloudy days, and they don’t make any electricity at night. Another disadvantage in using solar energy is the amount of area the array will take, and how little energy is made for a given area of land.