"Solar is highly compatible with the values and desires of the environmentally-conscious citizen."

A government study from the Department of Energy (DoE) & National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) concluded the following about Solar Energy:

"Solar electricity is clearly a wise energy investment with great environmental benefits!"

The Major Objectives of Sustainable Energies

The conservation of fossil fuels, the reduction of pollutants, reduction of waste, and higher efficiency usage of electricity are the main environmental objectives to which Solar achieves each of these ends.

The Conservation of Fossil Fuels

This is a simple, yet important effect of using Solar Energy. As more and more individuals, corporations, and government use alternative energies such as solar, we conserve fossil fuels and other natural resources that are quickly diminishing. With a rapidly expanding world economy, and the strong growth in highly populated countries - the demand for energy is increasing at an alarming rate. This makes conserving our resources more important than ever.

In addition to the deterioration of land, air and water - the rapid depletion of natural resources “further compromises the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”.

The Reduction of Pollutants

Electricity production in Colorado is dominated by fossil fuels—98% coal, 2% petroleum and other like fuels. Overall energy production (heat, electricity, etc.) is also dominated by these fuels (51% coal, 16% natural gas and 3% petroleum). The resulting CO2 emissions come from coal (81%), gas (15%), and from petroleum (4%).

There are major environmental impacts attributed to electricity generation from these non-renewable fuels. Emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere (particulates, Sulphur Dioxide (SOx), Nitrogen Oxide (NOx), Carbon Dioxide (CO2), and others) all have a grave impact on public health, water and crops. These negative externalities also impact many delicate ecosystems such as forests and fisheries.

The Reduction of Waste

Electricity produced from Coal (the primary source of electricity) results in a great deal of waste during the process, such as:

• Mining: Dust from surface mining, Drainage Water
• Cleaning and Drying: Liquid and Solid Waste, Dust and Coal Fines (30 tons)
• Transportation: Spillage, Dust and Fines
• Storage: Liquid Drainage, Dust and Fines
• Power Plant: Liquid and Solid Waste (5000 tons of liquid; 360,000 tons of solid ash), Emissions (150,000 tons of mainly SOx, NOx, CO2, and particulates)
• Water, Land, Energy, and Heat are also wasted over the entire process of converting coal to electricity

Nearly every type of energy production from non-renewable sources produce wastes which have a negative impact on the environment. Even nuclear energy, while burning relatively clean, presents serious problems with the safe storage of radioactive waste and the possibility of widespread nuclear fallout from a reactor meltdown.

Higher Efficiency Usage of Electricity

The efficiency of fossil fuel electricity generation is stunningly low. Given that the amount of the fuel (coal, petroleum, natural gas, etc.) is growing scarce, this lack of efficiency is all the more important.

When you burn these fossil fuels to create electricity, we only convert about 35% of the energy produced into electricity, the other 65% is lost mostly in heat. It is now wonder why these fuels are quickly disappearing.

While the efficiency is low for the individual solar cells themselves, the Solar Energy system is quite efficient.

That doesn't much matter however, since the fuel for Solar Energy (the Sun) is virtually limitless and available worldwide.

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