How Can Solar Power Help The Current Energy Crisis?

Are your energy bills constantly going up? Are you worried about your energy security with the soaring energy prices? Well, it is time to think about solar energy as a solution to the current energy crisis we are facing not just in Australia, but worldwide. 

The war in Ukraine has disrupted the supply of oil and natural gas across Europe, which has led to a domino effect across the world causing prices to rise considerably. And as things look, there isn’t an end in sight to the high cost of energy in Australia or across the globe.

This is where solar energy management comes in; it can supplement or replace the electricity you import from the national grid, lowering your energy bills considerably. If businesses and homeowners take up solar energy, we can help to avert the current and any future energy crisis by lowering the demand for oil and natural gas. In this blog, we will look at how solar power can help the energy crisis including the following:

• Solar Energy Uses A Renewable Energy Source 
• There Is Enough Solar Power Supply 
• Businesses And Homes Can Run Entirely On Solar Energy 
• Solar Energy Is Affordable 
• Paired With Energy Storage, Solar Energy Provides Security Against Unreliable Power

1). Solar Energy Uses A Renewable Energy Source 

Solar power is a non-delectable and renewable energy source. Crucially, we have the technology and resources to harness solar energy and convert it to electricity. In the case of Australia, we have an abundance of solar energy. Additionally, we have an abundance of the resources required to convert solar irradiation to electricity – silicon. Finally, solar power is scalable to match the needs of users. It’s feasible for businesses and homes to install solar power to match their energy needs. 

All these elements make solar power an excellent energy source that can help us tackle our reliance on fossil fuels.

2). There Is Enough Solar Power Supply 

Australia receives approximately 58 million PJ of solar radiation every year. This is more than 10,000 times more energy than our total consumption. Theoretically, we can power the entire continent of Australia with solar energy every year, doing away with the need for fossil fuels. And since solar power is renewable, we can theoretically rely on solar power.

In practice, however, we can complement our energy supply with solar power. In doing so, we will reduce the demand for energy-derived fossil fuels, which can lower our demand for fossil fuels. The more solar energy we tap into, the less reliant we are on fossil fuels, which helps avert the energy crisis we currently face.

3). Paired With Energy Storage, Solar Energy Provides Security Against Unreliable Power 

Aside from being a renewable energy source, solar power can be stored. Solar energy storage solutions and technologies are improving every day. Currently, it is possible for businesses and homeowners to store the vast majority, if not all, of the energy their solar panels produce without the need to export it to the grid.

By storing the energy your solar power generating systems produce, businesses and homeowners can guard themselves against the unreliability of the national grid. In the short term, you can protect your household from power failures. In the long-term, using solar-plus-storage systems protects you against the price hikes that characterise every energy crisis.

4). Businesses And Homes Can Run Entirely On Solar Energy 

As mentioned above, Australia (and, by extension, the world) has an abundance of solar power. Homeowners and businesses can choose the size of their solar panel systems to match their current and future needs. Coupled with storage systems, it’s possible to create a micro-grid that sustains the energy needs of your home or business.

Taking this approach to meeting our energy needs reduces or eliminates electricity imports from the national grid and our reliance on fossil fuels. Not only do you benefit from cheaper solar power, but you also help lower the demand for fossil fuels, thereby helping to solve the fuel crisis.

5). Solar Energy Is Affordable 

The International Energy Agency (IEA) recently announced that solar power is one of the world’s cheapest forms of electric power. One of the main reasons for the affordability is the renewability of solar energy. Once installed, your solar power will generate electricity nonstop for years. Additionally, the technology for harnessing solar energy is improving every year while the production cost of solar panels and other related technologies is constantly going down.

The affordability of solar power can help replace some of the fossil-fuel energy we use, helping alleviate the energy crisis.

Final Thoughts

While it’s doubtful that solar energy will replace fossil fuels completely, it can be an excellent complement to our energy mix. Adding more solar power to our energy mix will lower the demand for fossil energy, which might lower the prices of fossil fuels. Crucially, solar irradiation is the ultimate renewable energy source. We can rely on it being available both in the short and long term.

GCR Electrical Systems has been at the forefront of solar panel installation, repair and services in the Hervey Bay area. Our experts can help you find ways to keep your energy costs down. 

Please contact us today on (07) 4120 7004 or leave an enquiry if you would like more information about our solar installation services.