Fossil fuels are petroleum (or crude oil), coal, and natural gas, For hundreds of years, most people have relied on these fossil fuels for their energy.
But fossil fuels aren’t the only option anymore. Solar energy is becoming increasingly popular and available.
How do you know which option is best for you? Keep reading to find out more about fossil fuels vs solar energy.
Cost Efficiency
Fossil fuels and solar energy have different costs. We’ve put together the pros and cons of both so that you can understand which is financially best for you.
Fossil Fuels: Pros
Fossil fuels are currently a cheap source of energy. It is estimated that electricity from fossil fuels costs between 5 cents and 18 cents per kilowatt-hour.
Fossil Fuels: Cons
However, fossil fuels are not renewable, and we are taking them out of the earth more quickly than they are being created. At some point, they are going to run out.
So before then, they will become increasingly more expensive. That’s why some fossil fuels are on track to be more expensive than solar energy within the next decade.
Solar Energy: Cons
Solar energy is more expensive to start with. There are some upfront costs when you purchase and install your solar energy system.
In 2020, it was estimated that installing and setting up a solar energy system cost around $15,000. However, this is significantly less than it cost 5 years ago, and these costs are expected to continue dropping.
Solar Energy: Pros
The good news is that, once the system is installed and running, you will save money. This is just one of the many benefits to going solar.
Solar energy is cheaper than fossil fuels. Plus, it’s only expected to decrease further. On average, solar energy costs 3 cents to 6 cents per kilowatt-hour.
If you generate all of the electricity that you consume, then solar energy will completely eliminate your electricity bill. Even if you don’t cover your entire electric bill, you will be using less electricity from your local grid, so your bill will still be considerably lower.
You can even make money with your solar energy system. If you generate more electricity than you use, you can sell the excess energy back to your local grid. This will then be used elsewhere.
Sustainability
If something is sustainable, it means that it can you can keep using it. Find out what this means for fossil fuels and solar energy.
Fossil Fuels: Cons
Fossil fuels are not renewable. There is only a finite supply of them on earth.
Fossil fuels are created over hundreds of millions of years. Organisms that once absorbed energy were buried and decomposed without oxygen. These organisms eventually become what we call fossil fuels.
Fossil fuels are not able to develop as quickly as we are using them, so they will run out.
Solar Energy: Pros
In contrast, solar energy is a renewable and sustainable source of energy.
The earth receives 173,000 terawatts of sunlight at any given moment. That’s more than 10,000 times the amount of power that the world needs. Solar panel systems convert this solar energy into electricity that we can use.
The sun isn’t expected to stop providing sunlight anytime soon, and using it won’t make it run out. Plus, sunlight can be found all over the world. This makes it sustainable.
Global Warming and Climate Change
What are global warming and climate change?
As humans, we produce pollution and greenhouse gases which affect our atmosphere. This is causing global temperature to rise, known as global warming. This global warming is contributing to worldwide climate change.
Fossil Fuels: Cons
The fossil fuels that already exist are underground and are accessed by mining or drilling. These extraction processes are very expensive and damaging to the environment. The machinery and equipment needed cause destruction, and release harmful substances which contribute to global warming and climate change.
Once fossil fuels are removed from the ground, they have to be burnt to release energy to use. This produces a lot of carbon and is an extremely high contributor to global warming.
Solar Energy: Pros
Unlike fossil fuels, solar energy is renewable, environmentally friendly, helps to fight climate change, and doesn’t involve destruction.
Solar Energy: Cons
There are some disadvantages to using solar energy. There is some pollution involved in solar panel production and transportation.
However, any pollution associated with solar energy is significantly less than pollution and greenhouse gases created by extracting and using fossil fuels.
Fossil Fuels vs Solar Energy
Fossil fuels and solar energy are ways to generate the power and energy that we use in our daily lives. But when it comes to fossil fuels vs solar energy, there are plenty of differences.
Fossil fuels are cost-efficient and reliable. However, they’re likely to become increasingly expensive, not sustainable, contributing to climate change, and they will run out.
Solar energy has more upfront costs, but allows you to save money in the long term, is sustainable and environmentally friendly.
If solar energy is for you, take a look at some of our other articles about solar panels and solar energy systems.