In addition to several advantages to solar photovoltaic system, there are
challenges associated with this technology.
Advantages
• Since there are large amount of energy simply coming from sun’s rays,
scarcity is not a concern at all. This can be a solution to the scarcity of
other energy sources, especially sources originating from fossil fuels.
• Solar radiation does not emit any type of pollution so therefore it lacks
any CO2 emissions.
• Solar radiation energy is available anywhere so regardless of location,
solar energy can be generated anywhere in a decentralized way (such
as rooftop panels). This would also mean that the losses occurring due
to the transmission of energy is being reduced.
• Implementing solar PV technology can be modular so the size of PV
system can be increased when the need for electricity increases.
Challenges
• The cost of solar PV is usually a cost effective way to supply large
quantities of electricity needed. However, producing electricity is more
electricity. Although the cost of solar PV electricity has been significantly
decreasing, further decreasing is still necessary in order for this
technology to be affordable to everyone.
• Solar PV has challenges regarding the uncertainty of how much of
sun’s rays it would receive, as weather can change from time to time.
This would prove difficulty in determining how much energy to store for
future use. Sunlight is clearly unavailable during night hours while there
is still demand for electricity. In addition, peak radiation availability may
not match with the demand for peak electricity. A mechanism for
effective energy storage and efficient recovery is needed for this
reason.
• Location can be an issue. The availability of solar radiation can vary
depending on location. Some places, such as the Southwest, there are
significantly more solar radiation than other location, such as the
Northeast. This would mean that solar energy generation is dependent
on certain locations where the systems would need to be installed.