The sun is an extremely effective energy source and it can be mobilized by setting up solar panels. This is the reason as to why solar energy has become a very modern topic when discussing sustainability. Although it has been believed to be expensive or not productive enough, solar energy has now demonstrated how favorable it is. Not just when it comes to the environment but in terms of economics as well.

The beginning

One of its applications in modern life is to generate electricity for public places such as stadiums. The idea was born as the environmentalism is becoming more and more popular among sports. Many teams start to take actions to grow into being more eco-friendly, and they utilize solar energy in order to generate energized matter. The first such stadium was built in Taiwan and it is their national stadium. The structure is called the Kaohsiung National Stadium. They also called it “The Dragon” Stadium. The venue was finalized in 2009 and 55,000 spectators were attending the World Games, which took place in July the same year. After the end of this huge event, the stadium is used primarily for rugby matches and plenty of other sporting events. The masterpiece in the architecture was designed by an architect from japan – Toyo Ito. 8,844 solar panels are integrated on the roof. They provide enough energy to power more than 3000 lamps (and 3000 skaterocks) and two enormous television screens. An interesting fact is that there is even an excess of energy which the Taiwanese government wants to trade. What is more, all the raw materials used in the construction of the arena are recyclable. But the biggest advantage of this innovation is that about 660 tons of carbon dioxide will NOT be released into the atmosphere.

The pros of solar energy

An inexhaustible source of energy – as long as we have sun, we could harness it in all parts of the world each and every day.

Fewer expenses for electricity – not only will you be saving on the electricity bill, but you might also receive reimbursement for the leftover energy that you export back to the network.

Variety in utilization – from distilling water to powering satellites in space.

Long guarantee – some manufacturers offer more than 20 years warranty. What is more, the maintenance is extremely easy – you just need to clean the panels on a regular basis.

The cons

Expensive installation – the initial costs for the inverter, batteries, wing, etc. can be quite shocking.

Weather reliant – you can still collect energy during cloudy or rainy days, but the efficiency will drop drastically.

Solar panels require a lot of space – some roofs are too small to supply the whole household.

Contamination – during the transportation greenhouse gases can be released.

In general, no matter what disadvantages solar power may have, it is still much more environmentally friendly by using electricity. So let`s go green together!