Solar energy is not a perfect energy source but nonetheless using solar energy has lot more benefits than drawbacks as you'll see by further reading this article.
The benefits of using solar energy:
Solar energy is renewable source of energy. Our sun is the most abundant form of energy available on our planet, and solar energy will be available throughout the entire lifespan of our Sun (next 5 billion years). On the other hand, the currently dominant fossil fuels are expected to be depleted within the next 100-200 years.
Solar energy is good for our environment because solar panels do not emit harmful carbon emissions that could further contribute to climate change. This means that by using solar panels instead of fossil fuels we are actually doing something helpful for our planet. The average home solar system is expected to eliminate 18 tons of greenhouse gas emissions from the environment each year. Harnessing solar energy also doesn't contribute to air and water pollution either.
Sun isn't owned by any man, meaning that it's free to use solar energy for each and every one of us. All you need is an initial investment and after you recover it, the rest of it is totally free, and you can even send excess of solar power to the grid and achieve extra profit.
Reduced dependence on fossil fuels. Using less fossil fuel is not only good for our environment because it also improves our energy dependence and could significantly decrease the import of foreign fuels so our money would stay within our own borders.
More solar power would also mean more new jobs (construction, installation, maintenance, etc) that would help boost our economy and offer great business opportunity for many people.
Solar energy is still more expensive than fossil fuels but on the long run solar energy can still account for significant money savings. The initial costs are indeed high and shouldn't be ignored but after several years you will have at your disposal energy source that is totally free to use. There are also different tax benefits as well as other incentives offered by many countries for using solar energy.
Solar panels operate very silently, have a lifespan of 30+ years, and maintenance costs connected with them are very low since there are no moving parts.
Solar energy is one of the best energy options for remote applications and could be used in many rural areas of the developing world as the best energy option to deliver electricity to these areas.
Drawbacks of using solar energy:
The main drawback of using solar energy is high initial costs. Solar panels are constructed out of expensive and rare materials and this is the main reason of their high price tag.
Solar panels have relatively low efficiency. To compensate for this drawback they need a large area for their installation (big land requirements) and a perfect placement, oriented towards the Sun and without major obstacles blocking it.
Since Sun doesn't shine during the night and when it's cloudy solar energy also requires cheap and efficient energy storage method (intermittency of solar energy).
Solar power plants consume lot of water for cooling purposes.
Only areas with high insolation values can be effectively used to create new solar power plants.
