People these days are worried more and more about reducing their carbon footprint. They want to help reduce their own impact on the environment and help preserve it for our children and their children's children. One such way that people are using to help reduce their carbon footprint is by use of solar panels. In the following article we will explore the different advantages and disadvantages of solar energy.

Lets first start with the disadvantages of solar energy. First of all solar panels need a pretty big initial investment as they can be quite expensive. Also they are less cost effective than fossil fuels right now. But the technology is always improving and the cost ever decreasing. Now for the benefits: solar panels are easy to install, produce zero emissions, and are great for the environment. Not only that but the cost to produce them is going down from over $4 a few years ago to under $1 just recently.

There is no doubt that solar energy is good for the environment - it gives off absolutely no emissions and harnesses the power of the sun which is an endless supply of energy. People are finally realizing how important it is to reduce their impact on the environment. You can even install them on your own homes rooftop. Even big name companies have got into the solar power game. Google and Walmart are two such examples.

Even when it is overcast, new technology allows certain solar panels to capture enough energy for the day. It works by storing extra energy on sunny days when the power isn't being consumed as much and then when it is rainy or overcast it uses that stored energy.

There is another type of solar panel setup know as a PV system. The system is connected directly to the power grid and the extra power produced by any panels on the grid is utilized by other homes.

So as you can see solar energy is actually a viable method of energy generation that people can utilize to reduce their carbon footprint. While it may be expensive for some, if you can afford the initial investment you can enjoy years of clean renewable energy without impacting the environment any more than is necessary.