Solar Energy and the Environment
Canada is already feeling the effects of global warming, particularly in the North. The world scientific community predicts accelerating disruption of the environment, with negative consequences for human beings and wildlife, unless emissions are brought under control.
Solar energy is energy from the sun. We often take the sun for granted, but the sun's energy is an abundant resource that can be harnessed for many valuable applications. The two technologies associated with solar energy are, photovoltaics or solar electricity and solar thermal. Applications of solar thermal include air and water heating.
Because a solar system saves energy it's also something that improves the environment. In Canada, an average home contributes about six million tonnes of carbon monoxide each year in Greenhouse gas emissions just for heating water. This can be significantly reduced by installing a solar water heater. Up to 2 tonnes of carbon monoxide could be eliminated using the sun to heat water!
The environmental costs of SO2, CO2 and other gases are estimated to be 6¢/kWh (EMR, 1990). Rather than displacing a non-renewable energy form such as electricity or heating by gas would it not be better to displace heating with SDHW? A residential solar system displacing 3000 kWh would reduce environmental damage by $180 in one year or $900 over five years @ 6¢/kWh. This system would reduce demand by 3,000 kWh / 2,000hrs = 1.5kW.
