Solar: Just how clean is it?
Solar power is cleaner and quieter than any other form of on-site generation.
- Installing a solar power system may be the easiest way to impact the indirect pollution caused by your
operations and take a positive step towards bettering the environment. A typical commercial solar power system
eliminates over 300,000 pounds of C02 and over 80 pounds of NOx emissions per year.
- The emissions avoided for every 1kW of solar power installed are equivalent to those emitted by
driving 1,900 miles/year in an average car.
- Solar panels are the only silent electrical generation system, which means they are ideal for
populated areas where other generation systems would cause complications.
Power when it's needed most
A solar power system generates the most amount of power when the sun is strongest, during midday and afternoon hours.
Coincidentally, that's also the time when demand for electricity is highest--the so-called "peak period".
To meet peak period demand, utilities rely on smaller dispatchable power plants that are often more expensive to
run and more polluting than the base load generating plants. By replacing your peak load energy with solar energy,
you can reduce the load you put on the grid at peak times and thereby reduce the amount of peak generation required by the utility.
The result for everyone is lower cost and cleaner air. Plus, by reducing peak load, the overall capacity of the grid is
increased and its overall reliability is improved for everyone.
