Top 6 Limitations of Solar Energy
By: Hala Kalini
Tags: Unsustainable, Solar Power, Solar Energy, Limitations

Solar is a renewable energy source that uses light and energy from the sun to generate heat and electricity. Since sunlight is available for us to capture for energy production on a daily basis (unlike fossil fuels that are finite), solar is inherently sustainable and inexhaustible.

So, what’s the catch?

Well…despite the benefits of solar as a generally low-cost renewable and ‘clean’ energy source, limited attention has been paid to the potential side effects and limitations associated with this technology.

If solar is really as clean as people say, then why does it produce toxic chemicals?

Let’s find out…

Solar’s limited 4-hour battery storage

Solar energy is limited to 4 hours at full dispatch. This means that solar batteries can only supply energy at a maximum rate of up to 4–8 hours.

When the energy demand is high, the 4-hour battery storage is incapable of supplying power 24/7. Fossil fuels will be required as the FIRM energy source to compensate for the lack of solar power.

Even though solar batteries have a lifespan of 5–15 years, they are known to wear out rapidly due to the regular charge and discharge cycles. Basically… the more you use it, the less it will be able to hold a charge in the long-run. This means that they will need to be manufactured, replaced, and disposed of far more frequently, contributing to solar’s carbon footprint.

Unlike solar, Bioenergy can provide clean, renewable power, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It is also 100% sustainable since it relies on locally-grown feedstock to generate energy.

Solar batteries and panels contain toxic materials

Solar batteries are composed of various chemistries, including lead-acid, saltwater, and lithium-ion. Substances in these solar panels and batteries contain various toxic materials, such as glass, ruthenium, indium, tellurium, lead, heavy metals, and other rare earth elements.

These materials are known to have a detrimental impact on the environment. They can pose significant human health risks, i.e., creating toxic waste and causing fatal lead poisoning, especially for people working near battery recycling sites.

Since the cost of recycling the materials in ‘photovoltaic (PV) modules’ is not sustainable, the toxins in these PV systems often end up in landfills. UNEP claims that 60% and 90% of electronic waste is either illegally traded or dumped in poor developing nations, where there is no effective waste management system.

In fact, Solar could contribute to the ongoing waste problem in Hawaii, possibly creating a wave of toxic battery waste in the future.

Solar is more expensive than biomass

While the cost of solar is mainly dependent on the materials used and how much power it can generate, solar batteries are generally more costly to manufacture and install than biomass is to harvest — which is virtually inexpensive. The cost of purchasing a solar panel is relatively expensive. On top of that, the price of solar batteries, it’s installation fees and other necessary equipment could be as high as, if not greater than $18,000. This would increase further when the battery capacity is maximized during battery use.

Hawaii Island residents would not only incur huge power fees, but very few are able to afford solar in the first place.

Additionally, the money spent on solar projects would rarely remain in the state of Hawaii. Since many of the solar components are manufactured and assembled overseas, foreign manufacturers are reaping the benefits.

Solar is dependent on weather

The efficiency of solar systems is heavily based on weather conditions. Solar is generally most effective during peak sunlight hours, and while it is still able to generate electricity, it is the least effective during rainy and cloudy weather.

This makes solar power somewhat unpredictable, due to the limited possibility of generating energy on demand.

Alternatively, Bioenergy is a far more flexible energy source. It has greater resilience to extreme weather conditions and can produce energy throughout the day to meet demand quickly. For this reason, it is the perfect alternative to fossil fuels and other weather-dependent solar technologies such as solar and wind.

Land-use issues limit solar’s potential

The number of solar farms that can be built is highly dependent on the amount of available land, according to Hawaii land-use regulations.

Solar PV panels would also require large amounts of space. The more electricity you wish to generate, the more solar panels you would need. But, due to Hawaii’s strict land-use laws, the development of solar facilities is limited.

Bioenergy does not require a substantial amount of land, and the feedstock can be easily obtained on Hawaii Island, which makes it easily accessible and attainable.

Solar creates less economic opportunities than biomass

While Solar and wind technologies rank the highest in the construction industry with 127,000 and 38,000 jobs respectively, they deliver far fewer jobs in trade, professional services, and other industries. Most of the jobs are created during the construction and manufacturing of the solar facilities, but once the facility is up and running, solar delivers fewer long-term job opportunities.

Modern bioenergy facilities such as Honua Ola Bioenergy, have created 400+ construction-related jobs, construction, 35+ operations-related jobs and several other maintenance jobs. Once operational, it aims to create more than 200 full-time jobs in the forestry and transportation industries.

Biomass vs Solar

While solar has its benefits as mentioned above, Bioenergy is the most cost-effective FIRM energy option that can significantly reduce the use of fossil fuels by providing a stable, reliable, and renewable energy source to power each household in Hawaii.

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