Energy consumption is exponentially increasing over the past few years making it a challenge for many countries to meet the demand. According to the IEA, energy consumption in India has increased by 475.81% from 1990 and touched 1349.29 TWh in 2019. That is almost a 500% increase in the past 30 years. The cause for this increase is due to the social and economic growth where energy consumption increases across different home, office and industrial applications like cooking, lighting, mobility, communication, and space comfort. With the increase in demand and usage, there are challenges that have been brought upon the environment including rising sea levels, warming oceans, rising global temperature, carbon emissions & other harmful fume emissions. Some of these changes have an immediate effect and are already evident. For example, ​​glaciers have started melting, winter duration has reduced, weather patterns have changed, etc. Global warming has also resulted in the reduction of various species and even in some cases has caused extinction. This is a clear indication to bring in the change in order to sustain and survive in the future. Some of the effects of energy production on the environment: Air Pollution - One of the major pollutants produced by energy production is nitrogen dioxide which is emitted during the combustion of fossil fuels in the power plants and contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone and fine particulate matter. Scientific studies have even linked NO2 emissions from these power plants with negative health impacts like asthma & other respiratory illness. Read Full Blog - https://www4.enphase.com/en-in/stories/solar-energy-answer-and-solution-combat-climate-change

1. Is solar energy
the answer and
solution to combat
ClimateChange?

2. INTRODUCTION
Energy consumption is exponentially increasing over the past few years making it a challenge for many
countries to meet the demand. According to the IEA, energy consumption in India has increased by 475.81%
from 1990 and touched 1349.29 TWh in 2019. That is almost a 500% increase in the past 30 years.
The cause for this increase is due to the social and economic growth where energy consumption increases
across different home, office and industrial applications like cooking, lighting, mobility, communication, and
space comfort.
With the increase in demand and usage, there are challenges that have been brought upon the environment
including rising sea levels, warming oceans, rising global temperature, carbon emissions & other harmful
fume emissions.

3. SOME OFTHE EFFECTSOF ENERGY
PRODUCTIONONTHE ENVIRONMENT

4. 1. AIRPOLLUTION
One of the major pollutants produced by energy production is nitrogen dioxide which is emitted during the
combustion of fossil fuels in the power plants and contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone and
fine particulate matter. Scientific studies have even linked NO2 emissions from these power plants with
negative health impacts like asthma & other respiratory illness.

5. 2. WATERPOLLUTION
Thermal plants are one of the most employed sources of power generation in many countries including India.
These power plants dump dangerous pollutants such as mercury, arsenic and lead into the waters. The heavy
metals in the waste discharges can cause neurological and developmental damage, cause harm in utero,
damage internal organs and cause cancer.

6. 3. THERMALPOLLUTION
Using water as a coolant in power plants causes the degradation of quality which in turn changes ambient
water temperature causing thermal pollution. These temperatures impact the organisms after they are
exposed to the environment by decreasing oxygen supply and ecosystem composition changes.

7. 3. SOLIDWASTE DISPOSAL
In addition to the harmful fumes and gases, there are also solid wastes that get produced from burning fossil
fuels or from chemical processes. These solid wastes are harmful in nature and can degrade the environment
if not properly disposed. These wastes will also result in harmful emissions and cause harm to the nearby
residents.

8. 3. SOLIDWASTE DISPOSAL
In addition to the harmful fumes and gases, there are also solid wastes that get produced from burning fossil
fuels or from chemical processes. These solid wastes are harmful in nature and can degrade the environment
if not properly disposed. These wastes will also result in harmful emissions and cause harm to the nearby
residents.

9. While the growing demand has to be met for power generation, the challenges and effects that are imposed
on the environment today could lead to a serious effect along with influencing the climate changes
consistently for the future years to come.
Renewable energy is one of the most effective tools we have in the fight against climate change as it helps in
curbing emissions and achieving ambitious climate goals. The most effective renewable energy and
renewable energy that can meet the demand and can also be deployed where the power is consumed is solar
energy.

10. HOW CANSOLARENERGY CONTRIBUTETO OVERCOMING
CLIMATE CHANGE:
Reduces Air Pollution - Solar energy, unlike other sources of power generation does not need the burning of fuels
or complex chemical processes to generate energy. This in turn helps in producing clean energy without having to
release any harmful or greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Reduce Water Usage - Solar energy unlike thermal or hydro energy does not have a dependency on water. While
the conventional power plants result in water pollution and degradation of water quality, solar energy will not
need the water thereby reducing the water usage.
Eliminates the use of non-renewable energy - Solar energy is green and energy independent which helps in
reducing our dependence on non-renewable sources of energy such as fossil fuels. Degradation of non-renewable
energy results adversely on the environment causing natural calamities and unprecedented effects. By eliminating
this completely, solar energy helps in keeping non-renewable energy intact.
Improves Humanity’s Health - The continual dump of pollutants and additional carbon-di-oxide into the air makes
it harder for the environment resulting in many diseases and adverse effects on humankind. As the amount of
carbon compounds in the atmosphere increases, so does heat retention ultimately causing global warming. Solar
energy helps in controlling this and in turn, reverses the effect by taking on solar heat and converting it into power.

11. In addition to the environmental
advantages, solar energy also reap
benefits in many other ways like
reduced costs, inexhaustible
source, etc..

12. CONCLUSION
The demand for energy is growing exponentially. To meet this demand, there is a need for more energy to be
produced and this can cause harm to the environment, flora, fauna and to every living being’s existence. There is a
serious concern to address.
The need for a renewable, clean and green energy has generated interest among scientists, solar energy
developers, land managers and policymakers to understand the environmental impacts and act on them. Solar
energy seems to be the most viable option that can cater to all the environmental and economic traits. In addition
to the environmental benefits we get, it is also evident that the solar energy sector has seen remarkable growth
and huge cost improvements over the past decade with no signs of slowing down.
If you are looking for a solution to enable solar powered homes, Enphase might be a viable option for
you. Schedule a call with our in-house expert to understand more about our solutions and services.
www.enphase.com