Going solar is not just good for consumers and businesses seeking to increase their energy independence and reduce their climate footprint. Going solar is also good for society and for our environment.
Environment America Research Policy Center completed a comprehensive report analyzing about a dozen credible studies on the benefit solar energy provides to all consumers in the United States, and well as to environmental and public health in the U.S.
The report summarizes: “As solar energy has taken off in recent years..utilities and their special interests have increasingly attacked net metering as an unjustified “subsidy” to solar users. A review of 11 recent analyses shows that individuals and businesses that decide to “go solar” generally deliver greater benefits to the grid and society than they receive through net metering.”
Here are some of the ways that solar helps consumers, the environment and society in the United States:
—By feeding the electrical grid with additional power that is produced and distributed to nearby users, “solar energy helps the electrical grid by reducing the amount of energy lost in generation, long-distance transmission, and distribution.”
–Solar energy costs tend to be more stable than the cost of fossil fuels. Adding more solar energy in to the grid “reduces consumers’ exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices.”
–The additional power added to the grid “helps ratepayers and utilities avoid the cost of investing in new power plants.” And, “by reducing demand for energy from the grid, solar PV systems reduce its price, saving money for all ratepayers.”
–Increasing solar energy capacity helps utilities to avoid the expense of maintaining and cleaning up polluting power plants. And solar helps utilities to meet requirements for using renewable energy.
–Solar energy creates green, sustainable, local jobs.
–Solar energy offers great help in the effort to reduce toxic pollution that contributes to global warming. “Since 2007, solar energy has averted approximately 71 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.”
–“According to the American Lung Association, 44% of Americans live in a place where pollution often reaches dangerous levels.” More solar energy means cleaner air, reducing risks of public harm.
Download, read and share the full report here.
