Nuclear Disasters and the Renewable Energy Solution

Conventional energy is problematic. We’ve known that for a long time, but the recent nuclear disasters in Japan and the Gulf oil spill before that have highlighted just how badly things can go wrong — on top of the known consequences of radioactive waste, mining issues, and pollution. They will go down as two major tragedies of our time.

A popular tweet that surfaced during the oil spill went, “Large Air Spill at Wind Farm. No threats reported. Some claim to enjoy the breeze.” No one denies that renewable energy technology like wind and solar are safer for humans and the environment than nuclear and coal plants, but renewable energy is often dismissed as impractically small scale and unable to address our growing energy needs.

In fact, commercial scale solar power does exist and is becoming more widespread all the time. Interest in renewable energy is on the rise amongst investors and governments, especially amidst worries over Japan’s troubled nuclear plant. Solar power plants range enormously in style, size, and efficiency, and the sheer variety of the technology available makes them one of the most accessible forms of renewable energy. Check out some of the  solar power plants in the world and how much clean, renewable energy they generate.

Sarnia Solar Farm, Ontario, Canada

• Largest solar power plant in the world
• 97MW solar power plant
• 1.3 million thin film solar panels
• covers 365 hectares

Copper Mountain Solar Facility, Nevada, USA

•  48MW capacity (enough to power 14,000 average homes)
• 775,000 cadmium telluride (thin film) solar panels
• Covers 150 hectares
• Largest US solar power plant
• Operational since December 2010

SMUD, California, USA

• 1.2MW capacity
• 8.5 acres
• Premier Power’s environmentally friendly leave-no-trace design
• Completed in 6 weeks

Can we really afford to continue depending on nuclear and coal energy? More and more, the answer seems to be no. Commercial solar power is one solution that can help us switch from conventional power quickly and affordably. If you’ve been looking for renewable energy solution, get a free solar consultation today!

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