The Solar Photovoltaic Panels on the Roofs of UNNC Buildings

Evaluate The Installation of Solar Photovoltaic Panels on the Roofs of UNNC Buildings to Supplement the University’s Power Supply Name Institutional Affiliation  Abstract Unlike fossil fuels as sources of energy, solar energy through photovoltaic (PV) solar panels offer means of attaining the goals of ensuring that the world moves to an era of clean energy consumption. These goals have been set in different countries around the globe in the wake of reports that the Earth has increasingly become warmer due to the trapping of the greenhouse gases that lead to global warming and subsequent climate changes. PV solar panels have already been installed in many homes and institutions to reduce gaseous emissions to the atmosphere that potentially worsen the problem of global warming. Many colleges have also installed the same systems to become even more efficient in energy expenditure. This paper provides an evaluation of the option of installing solar photovoltaic panels on the roofs of UNNC buildings to supplement the University’s power supply using three criteria: environmental health, and safety criteria economic sustainability consideration, and public acceptance and awareness. Keywords: solar energy, photovoltaic panels, sustainability Table of Contents TOC \o "1-3" \h \z \u Abstract PAGEREF _Toc6964363 \h 21.0 Introduction PAGEREF _Toc6964364 \h 42.0 Evaluation Criteria for UNNC Solar Photovoltaic Panel Installation Project PAGEREF _Toc6964365 \h 52.1 Environmental Health and Safety PAGEREF _Toc6964366 \h 52.2 Economical sustainability PAGEREF _Toc6964367 \h 62.3 Public acceptance and awareness PAGEREF _Toc6964368 \h 73.0 Conclusion and Recommendation PAGEREF _Toc6964369 \h 8Bibliography PAGEREF _Toc6964370 \h 10 Evaluate The Installation of Solar Photovoltaic Panels on the Roofs of UNNC Buildings to Supplement the University’s Power Supply 1.0 Introduction Solar energy is a natural resource that has proved to be both technologically mature and scalable to meet the increasing demands for power generation in the world. The current world population is 7 billion and it will increase to between 7.5-10.5 billion by 2050, making energy demand to increase further (Fong & Tippet, p.1). One of the solar power technologies that has seen a rapid growth in the recent past and is projected to continue to steer the world into a sustainable energy future is photovoltaic (PV) technology (Hasapis et al. 2017, p.39). However, while PV technology has experienced rapid acceptance and growth over the recent years, estimates in 2017 indicated that solar power represented only 1% of the global electric energy generation (Ball, Reicher, Sun, & Pollock, 2017). While it is estimated that these figures will go up to 16% or even higher by 2050, the success of utilizing solar energy and achieving the goals of clean energy world will depend on efficient government policies to support domestic solar manufacturing and deployment. Today, once of the greatest challenges of the 21st century is to generate sufficient energy while at the same time mitigating the impact such production might have on the environment. A large number of universities around the globe are looking for ways to invest in relevant projects that will improve their medium and short-term sustainability (Hasapis et al. 2017). According to Environment America (2017), already Butte College has installed 25000 solar panels since 2005 to become the first college campus in the United States to generate more energy than it consumed in 2017. Many other campuses are have installed solar arrays in parking lots and rooftops which are open spaces suited for solar energy projects (Environment America, 2017). This paper is an evaluation of the installation of solar photovoltaic panels on the roofs of UNNC buildings to supplement the University’s power supply using three criteria: environmental health, and safety criteria economic sustainability consideration, and public acceptance and awareness. 2.0 Evaluation Criteria for UNNC Solar Photovoltaic Panel Installation Project 2.1 Environmental Health and Safety Solar energy has become a potential and important candidate as clean energy that will overcome the increasing environmental concern of the impact of greenhouse gases on climate change and global warming (Solangi, Badarudin, Kazi, Lwin, & Aman, 2013, p.540). Today, about 65% of the world’s energy comes from natural gas, petroleum power, and coal (Ball et al., 2017). As the world population continues to increase, the energy demand will also hike and it will become unsustainable with the continued increase in consumption of the conventional energy sources from fossil fuels in the long-term. The use of fossil fuel is linked to the production of carbon dioxide that contributes to global warming. Solar energy is inexhaustible, pollution-free, safe and efficient (Environment America, 2017). However, UNNC should consider some factors before implementing the plan of installing solar panels on the University’s roofs. These challenges have been raised by a number of observers who point to the potential health, environmental and safety hazard posed by the manufacture and installation of the panels. Sundaram, Benson, and Mallick (2016, p.23) argue that while PV solar panels provide clean and carbon-free energy as compared to energy generated from fossil fuels since they do not produce toxic gases, the production of solar cells often involves multiple environmental, health, and safety hazardous materials. The authors note that the full lifecycle of solar panels has raised safety concerns even when these panels are recycled or disposed of after 25 years. The problem the authors challenge is the hazardous chemicals used when manufacturing solar cells and the cleanliness of the materials define the conversion efficiency of the panels. Currently, the most efficient cells are derived from single crystalline solar cells that require significant effort and use of toxic chemicals. For instance, the manufacturing silicon chips involves the use of nanostructured solar cells and silicon-based PV such as CdTe and InGaAs (Sundaram, Benson, & Mallick, 2016, p.23). At the same time, the production of PVs using newer technologies such as perovskite solar cells and organic solar cells is often accompanied by a number of environmental and health hazards...