Talking About Preventing and Reversing Environmental Damage
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Talking About Preventing and Reversing Environmental Damage

Hello, my name is Vanessa. I would like to welcome you to my site about the environment. Growing up, I lived along a beautiful river full of jumping fish. The birds flew overhead, ready to catch their next meal in their talons. I watched as the wildlife lived in relative harmony along the riverbed. Unfortunately, as I reached my adult year, the river’s water quality and wildlife populations started to decline. Pollution was cited as the cause, which broke my heart. I will use this site to explore the way societies are damaging the world around them and propose solutions to solve this problem. Thanks.

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Talking About Preventing and Reversing Environmental Damage

Solar Energy Vs. Wind Energy - Which Is Better For The Average Homeowner?

Sarah King

Homeowners that want to be more environmentally-friendly and produce at least some of their own energy needs often turn to either solar energy or wind energy. It can be hard to figure out just which of these methods is the best for the money, as each type of energy has its own pros and cons.

Feasibility

Solar energy tends to be more feasible in many locations. This is because not all locations will allow a person to put up a wind turbine on their land, as if there are neighbors anywhere nearby, the windmill could cause complaints due to noise and the unsightliness of the turbine. It also isn't a good value for the money to put up a windmill if the average wind speed in your area isn't at least 5 meters per second.

Reliability

Wind turbines also tend to be more likely to break down or need repairs than solar panels. Solar energy is also more predictable, as even when it's cloudy, solar panels will produce some energy. Wind tends to be a bit more sporadic and unpredictable than sunlight, making it so people are less able to count on wind energy as their sole source of electricity.

Cost

It tends to be a little less expensive to produce energy via wind turbines than with solar panels when there's room and the possibility of installing these turbines. 

Overall Effectiveness

When comparing a wind turbine system and a solar panel system for residential use that cost about the same amount of money, the solar panels tend to be about five times as effective for producing energy, according to a study conducted in Spokane, WA. Keep in mind that this is an area that isn't known as being particularly sunny. However, the place that gets the most sun is only about twice as effective at producing solar energy than the place that gets the least sun overall throughout the year, so these panels can still produce a significant amount of electricity. For example, in Fairbanks, AK, a fixed tilt solar energy system can produce an average of about 3.3 kilowatt hours per meter squared per day of energy, but the same system in Dagget, CA produces about 6.6 kilowatt hours per meter squared per day. The overall effectiveness of solar energy also depends on the type of system, with 2-axis tracking panels being the most effective at capturing the sun's energy, followed by fixed tilt (for all but the most sunny places) and then concentration panels.

For more information, contact DFW Solar Electric or a similar company.


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