Go Green is the latest trend, with many opting for Eco friendly measures. According to the definition suggested by Oslo Symposium on Sustainable Consumption in the year 1994, it is “the use of services and related products which respond to basic needs and bring a better quality of life while minimizing the use of natural resources and toxic materials as well as emissions of waste and pollutants over the life cycle of the service or product so as not to jeopardize the needs of future generations.”

Unlike earlier generations, the current generation is faced with many trials and challenges. Not only are the natural resources depleting, owing to the unscrupulous usage of fuels that are not environment friends have taken a toll on the Earth. Global warming is just one of the many resulting issues, besides pollution and ozone depletion. Also, fossils are created over several years and it is not possible to recreate them anytime soon. So, using renewable energy will not only help the environment, it will additionally ensure fuel is available even after we run out of fossils.

What is a renewable resource, or renewable energy resource? There are many natural sources for energy including Sun, Wind and Water. They are considered reliable and sources that can never deplete. Sun is also a source of radiant energy, where electromagnetic waves are emitted.  Most heat oriented power sources are radiant in nature.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of solar energy?

Advantages of Solar are as follows:

• Free source of power
• Environment friendly
• Technological advancement has made tapping solar energy cost effective.
• Solar systems are durable and more often, don’t need maintenance for over 30 – 40 years.
• Solar systems come with warranty.
• Modern solar equipment is sleek and don’t occupy a lot of space.

Disadvantages of Solar energy:

• The only major disadvantage is the huge initial investment for installing Solar System.
• Production of solar power is only possible with sun light, so shady areas or during winter, power generation is a problem.

Passive solar energy is when a house is constructed in a way to absorb the sun’s heat. The windows are aligned in a different way, to absorb heat. When this happens, it is called passive solar heating. This is very common with many resorting to solar energy and deploying effective measures to power their homes with solar energy.

With many waking up to the irreversible damage cause to the environment, everyone intends to contribute their bit to improving the environment and making world a better place to live in with sustainable energy systems. Solar energy can be used to power houses, or for street lighting, or for other devices. Go solar is the latest mantra, with government announcing subsidies and rebates on the initial investment.