Solar Energy Dbq

Solar power, simply put, is energy that comes from sunlight. Solar energy is used to power things such as streetlights, homes, or even smaller things such as calculators. Many people have switched to solar energy to power their home’s electrical appliances, as it is commonly believed that solar energy is better for the planet. While solar energy does provide us with energy without burning fossil fuels, there are also other effects on the planet. Before understanding how solar energy impacts the earth, one must understand how solar panels work in the first place.
Solar panels are generally used to provide energy for the average household. According to Source A, “A solar panel works by allowing photons or particles of light to knock electrons …show more content…
These explanations provide a basic understanding of how solar energy is processed in order to provide energy for an entire household. Dentone 2
Solar energy is not as helpful and innovative as one might believe. A helpful quote from
Source B says, “Solar power is not a constant source of energy” (Source B). Generally, solar panels tend to do their aforementioned job when there is sunlight, or a form of light ray. If neither of these things are present, the panels cannot do their job, therefore they are not able to provide the sufficient amount of energy needed for normal activities to continue. Another quote from the same source states, “The production of solar panels themselves produces large amounts of greenhouse gases” (Source B). While solar panels may be saving the world from the burning of fossil fuels, the making of the actual panels that are supposed to be doing that is causing a bigger issue. Greenhouse gases can lead to larger scale issues on the planet, such as global warming. To add to this list, Source C says, “We need the ability to store the energy for long periods of time when the sun is dark...and the solar panels don’t work” (Source C).