Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Environment

How Solar Panels Help Save Water

Along with a few other cities in Florida, Tampa has tremendous potential for renewable energy use. Why? Solar power, one of the cleanest forms of  renewable energy source, is abundantly available in the Sunshine State. You know that photovoltaic (PV) systems cut back on your monthly electricity bills, reduce pollution, and keep the environment clean. Then, did you know that solar panels also help in saving water? We’re blessed with vast water resources, including oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, and ponds. However, their excessive use and people’s shortsighted planning may dry up the water resources soon.

Based on the observations of environment specialists, the world may be on the brink of massive water scarcity with devastating results. This implies that your choice of energy has a direct bearing on the water resources. According to the findings of the International Energy Agency, energy production in the traditional way has led to approximately 15 percent of extraction of this natural resource throughout the world.  In such a scenario, solar panels come as a boon to us, helping to minimize the wastage of water and making our planet a better place to lives. Wondering how? Here are three ways how PV systems aid  in water conservation:

1. Absorbing the Sun’s Energy Doesn’t Require Water

Capturing the free energy from the sun does not involve the direct use of water but the extraction of fossil fuels and their processing do. While extracting oil and natural gas, the fossil fuel companies insert high-pressure fluid into the wells. This process  helps break the rocks underground for fuel withdrawal. The liquid injected contains maximum water, a process known as fracking. After the extraction, volumes of water are required to refine and transport. According to a study by Duke University, the power companies in the US consumed as high as 250 gallons of water to extract oil and gas between 2005 and 2015. The entire extraction process led to the wastage of 210 gallons of water. Based on the findings of the Union for Concerned Scientists, even coal mining in America uses about 80-230 million gallons of water daily.

2. Solar Doesn’t Require Water to Generate Electricity

The energy produced by solar panels involves no water use. That is because PV systems require no cooling. However, traditional power generation plants consume gallons of water to cool off. As per the records of the US Geological Survey, the American power plants extracted about 45 percent water, 51 percent fresh water, and 38 percent fresh surface water for power generation in 2010. A report published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) shows that the generation of a single unit of electrical energy through rooftop solar uses only one-two hundredth of water, which is negligible.  With the use of solar PV systems in the country, you could do your part by saving gallons of water in America’s power generation plants. And guess what? It is sufficient to fill a few oversized swimming pools in the country.

3. Floating Solar Saves More than You Think

The concept of floating panels has taken the world by storm. From the US to Japan, this technology is the latest buzz in the alternative energy sector. If you cover large water bodies in the Sunshine State with solar panels, you will not only produce green energy but also minimize the rate of evaporation. Take for instance a vineyard in the country. If it has floating panels set up on the irrigation tank, the PV cells will generate clean energy on the one hand, and prevent the vineyards pools from drying up in summer by minimizing evaporation by up to 70 percent.

Average homeowners may not take water conservation as the most important impetus for switching to renewable energy in Tampa, but their individual choice can go a long way to save the country’s water resources for their future generations.  Thus, you can see that you go solar not only to reduce your utility bills; you help save a lot of water in the process. Therefore, it will be highly commendable, if you take the initiative to set up rooftop solar for the greater good of the country and the environment as a whole.

Written By

Eva is a content writer. She’s been working freelance writing jobs for the past six years and loves to write about a variety of subjects. She takes her work seriously and tries to ensure total satisfaction for her clients.

15 Comments

15 Comments

  1. Erika Ann

    May 4, 2018 at 8:23 am

    Water and electricity; 2 of the most valuable resources man could ever have. If we can save both of these by using the renewable sources from the sun, then i’m down for it. I’m proud to say the legislators in my country are making moves in improving sustainable energy.

  2. Shruti Khare

    July 5, 2018 at 1:43 pm

    Thanks for sharing such wonderful information.

  3. Tom

    July 12, 2018 at 8:58 am

    Wonderful article and thank you so much for sharing.Solar energy is an emerging renewable energy resource and is a wonderful source of green energy.It again has lot of advantages.I am planning to install a solar panel in my home.

  4. Walker Brian

    July 19, 2018 at 2:47 pm

    Solar energy will become one of the most valuable energy in near future. Solar energy can provide lots of advantage which we can not get from other sources. I have just installed a solar panel in my office building and I am very satisfied with the performance of solar energy.

  5. Jennifer Berkey

    December 17, 2018 at 11:48 am

    This is one of the many reasons why I am promoting the use of solar panels in our community. Apart from saving money, they can also save the environment. Clean water is a scarce resource nowadays, but with the use of modern technology such as solar panels, anything is possible. Thanks for this.

  6. Penelope Smith

    February 16, 2019 at 5:54 am

    This is some really good information about how a solar panel could help me save some water. I liked that you pointed out that solar energy doesn’t require water. It seems like it would be smart to talk to an electrician about if solar energy would be good for your home.

  7. Sebastien Caron

    March 19, 2019 at 8:40 am

    Hi Eva Brown
    I Totally agree with your opinion solar panels are really good concept for our future.Do you think solar panel should be installed in each and every home around the world?Even i have the similar article you can check it out too…

  8. Camelia John

    April 9, 2019 at 5:15 am

    Hey Eva, Very insightful and well-written article! One way that solar energy saves water is through water reservation. The information you have provided about how Solar Panels Help Save Water is really impressive and very helpful to me. Thanks for sharing the valuable information with us and I really loved your post. Keep Posting Similar articles.

  9. James

    May 1, 2019 at 3:17 pm

    In united states electricity consumption is more than other countries, Utilizing Solar Energy, Wind Energy, Nuclear energy can reduce the burning of fossil fuel.

  10. James

    May 1, 2019 at 3:19 pm

    Great Article. A Solar Panel will deliver you free electricity units and this will help you lower your electricity bill significantly.

  11. Jecy

    May 9, 2019 at 12:52 pm

    The article is very helpful. I am planning to install a solar panel in my home and planning to hire a branded company in Florida. Go green save the environment.

  12. Yoshiko Flora

    May 10, 2019 at 3:24 am

    I find it shocking how you explained that investing in solar panels can help a person save at least 210 to 230 gallons of water daily. With that in mind, I will have a few installed in my house this weekend by a local service. Doing this will help me save on my electric bill so that I can use the money to fund my kids’ college education.

  13. Janice Jenkiens

    October 22, 2019 at 11:27 am

    I have heard that it can save the environment and saves energy. But I was not aware that it cal help to save the water. Some of the countries have started installing solar powerhouse. Thanx!!

  14. Rebecca Cross

    November 13, 2019 at 9:26 am

    Hi Eva Brown!

    We sure are indeed blessed with vast water resources, including oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, and ponds. It’s sad to see how people’s misuse of water with their shortsighted planning can eventually lead to drying up of our water reasources.

  15. James moore

    February 1, 2021 at 10:35 am

    Great blog, solar energy is not only a great option for energy but also helps in saving the water.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

You May Also Like

Electricity

To overcome many issues facing civilization and the planet as a whole, the wider adoption of renewable energy sources is necessary. This includes solar...

Electricity

Thousands of homes are installing solar panels on their roofs to save money, and the home solar industry is rapidly expanding. According to the...

Electricity

Solar energy is the cleanest source of power available. Although it looks simple, the build is made of complex networks as the light hits...

Tech

Solar panels are becoming a huge force all around the United States. They’re gaining considerable traction all over the planet, too. People are rapidly...