The Pros And Cons Of Solar Power

The power of the sun is what makes life on Earth possible. Efforts to harness solar energy in concentrated form have long been a human pursuit. Solar technology has existed since the 19th century and has received substantial government support since at least the 1970s. Despite these efforts, solar power comprises less than 1% of U.S. electricity generation (History of Solar Power, para.1, 2016). There have been many applications besides bulk power generation, and the solar-powered vehicle is one of them. The first solar vehicle that a person could drive was demonstrated to the public in 1962 by the International Rectifier Company, and in 1977 the Bluebird car ran without a battery on solar-cells only. Since then there have been many great advances …show more content…
Most ethical considerations when it comes to solar power deal with whether or not the use of solar power in certain instances, like the ethics of solar farms and land use or the ethics of powering your home solely using solar power, is deemed ethically right to use. In terms of vehicles, the only types of vehicles that would really warrant any ethical considerations would be unmanned aircraft vehicles or autonomous self-driving cars because of the dangers such technology presents to society. So in terms of how the car is used, there aren’t really any ethical considerations. But in terms of how it is designed and built, there are labor, health and safety and environmental considerations. When building an SPV, “in manufacturing operations, adverse effects on the community, environment and natural resources are to be minimized while safeguarding the health and safety of the public” (Solar Industry Environment, n.d.). The materials used should be properly disposed of. Speaking of materials, human rights of employees and the safety of employees who are exposed potentially hazardous environment is important. “Participants recognize that in addition to minimizing the incidence of work-related injury and illness, a safe and healthy work environment enhances the quality of products and services, consistency of production and worker retention and morale” (Solar Industry Environment, n.d.). In addition to those types of solar industry environment and social responsibility considerations, as a supporter, promoter, and salesman of SPV’s, there are several ethical considerations to consider. With the growing need and desire to develop alternative energy aspects such as performance and durability may be exaggerated by developers of SPV’s in an effort to push and sell their