0191 500 1154
You’ve seen it in the news: the great debate about solar farms. With all the buzz, let’s take a look at what solar farms actually are and how they actually benefit the environment.
What Are Solar Farms and How Do They Work?
Just the same as the solar panels on your roof, solar farms are made up of photovoltaic cells. The only difference is the immense scale!
Solar farms can vary in size but generally 6-8 acres of land is needed to generate 1MW (megawatt) of electricity. So how is this electricity generated?
No different from the solar panels you see on buildings, solar panels in solar farms absorb the sunlight they’re exposed to and convert this energy into electricity. By having large amounts of solar panels in one area, there is a greater potential of generating large amounts of electricity.
There are also other factors that affect the amount of electricity generated in solar farms. For example, if a solar farm is built in an area that is generally cloudy and not exposed to much sunlight then the yield will be significantly less than its potential.
However, solar farms are mostly built in rural land that is flat and south-facing to make the most of the Sun. This allows for the solar panels to work at their optimum increasing chances of large amounts of electricity to be generated.
But who can use this solar energy?
Anyone! Depending on where you live, solar power can be available to you. Solar farms are designed to generate electricity for villages, towns and even cities.
The electricity created from solar farms is exported back to the grid. The grid will then distribute the electricity to its customers ready for you to use.
Different Types of Solar Farms
Solar farms are commonly placed into two categories: community solar farms and large-scale solar farms.
Community solar farms are typically a lot smaller than the solar farms you are picturing. These small-scale solar farms allow members of the community to use solar energy even if they do not own a property or have space for solar panel installation.
This is also a good way for people to get involved with solar energy without having to spend as much money. Generally, the community would collate some money together to fund the small solar farm or, potentially, their council could offer a grant.
Furthermore, some small-scale solar farms may only produce enough solar energy to be used alongside electricity from the grid. Despite this, using more renewable energies is still more beneficial than relying only on fossil fuels.
On the other hand, large-scale solar farms are the types of solar farms you have probably seen around the country. Often funded by investors and governments, these larger solar farms will have the capacity to power anything from a small village to whole cities.
Large-scale solar farms will cost a significant amount of money given the sheer size of them. However, the benefits outweigh the costs in this situation as in the long-run the money spent on solar farms will be made back.
These forms of solar farms contribute to the numerous carbon-neutral pledges many countries have taken. Having a large solar farm will generate large amount of clean energy, helping countries move towards zero emission quicker.
Pros and Cons of Solar Farms
Solar farms are able to generate large amounts of energy but there are also many other benefits to a solar farm. This includes:
- Using a renewable source of energy to produce electricity
- Minimal maintenance of solar panels compared to other means of electricity generation
- Zero emissions – after manufacturing
- A means of generating large amounts of clean energy quickly
- Small solar farms allow for local generation of electricity
- The land solar farms are built on can also be used for other purposes such as grazing land for small animals
However, as with anything, there are also some downfalls to solar farms. For example:
- Solar farms require a lot of space which can potentially destroy wildlife
- Many people think solar panels are unattractive
- Sunlight can be limited in some areas depending on the weather and climate
- The costs to build solar farms is extremely high given their size
Nevertheless, there are more positives than negatives when it comes to solar farms. Ultimately, using clean, renewable energy is significantly better than continuing to pollute the environment with emissions from fossil fuels.
Key Takeaways
Solar farms are not given enough good press in the news! Overall, building solar farms has a lot more benefits than the potential risks and costs. From being renewable to repurposing rural land, solar farms have the ability to offer a range of benefits.
It’s time to create a greener and cleaner environment. Solar farms are just one of the solutions.