By AJ Boyd
Everybody’s heard about climate change before, the mysterious thing that experts and world leaders across the globe say is coming for us. But what gets left out of the reports of animals dying, smog levels rising, and coral reefs disappearing is how we can prevent it from continuing to happen. Now, while it will take national and global changes to help combat climate change, there are still steps we can take at the local level that we can do to slow it down. One step is through the source that our energy comes from. According to Yale University, Connecticut currently consumes 4 main types of energy sources; natural gas (33% of total energy consumed), nuclear (22%), gasoline (21%), and distillate fuel (15%). With the exception of nuclear energy, fossil fuels make up over 75% of Connecticut’s total energy consumption. And these fossil fuels are one of the worst contributors to climate change. As we burn fossil fuels more and more, the amount of greenhouse gases that enter the atmosphere increase. These greenhouse gases then lead to global warming and climate change because they trap heat within the atmosphere. Now, the question becomes how can we substitute fossil fuels in Connecticut without major backlash? Solar energy, in my opinion, is the answer.
Solar energy is energy that is harnessed through a range of ever-evolving technologies such as solar panels. Currently in the US, 1.8% of the total energy consumed is from solar power. In Connecticut that number is even smaller, less than 1% of the total energy consumed is from solar power. These percentages are so small because so few people know the benefits of solar energy besides it being a clean and renewable energy source. First, switching from fossil fuels to solar energy gives you the opportunity to save you a lot of money. According to Project Sunroof, the average home in Connecticut would save an estimated $11,000 dollars over 20 years after the switch. And while the initial installation can be quite expensive, the typical payback time for Connecticut houses is anywhere between 7 to 9 years. In addition, thanks to Net Metering, any extra solar energy that is produced that your house doesn’t use, your utility company buys it from you. And all of these savings come because you will be far less dependent on your utility company. Once you have panels installed or another type of solar energy technology, the sun does the rest of the work for free. In addition to the savings, solar energy can also be used for many different purposes. Heat is another outcome from solar energy and can be applied throughout the house. For example, a solar thermal panel is a type of solar panel that absorbs heat from the sun and then heats up water from your water tank, all from the free rays of the sun. If solar panels or other solar energy technologies are too expensive to invest upfront there are also other ways to use solar energy to your advantage for no cost at all. By having large windows facing the South when building a house can save hundreds when it comes to your heating bill. And if you’re willing to take the extra step, install insulated windows that allow heat to come in but not leave. These, among other techniques, can help save up to 70 percent on your heating bill in the winter. And not only can people save money, but it’s also much better for the environment than using fossil fuels. Even though the production of solar panels can cause some pollution, the total emissions of fossil fuels are much higher than that of solar panels.
Solar energy is a step in the right direction when it comes to the Earth’s healthy future. And while it will take decades to fully replace fossil fuels sustainably, any step taken is a step in the right direction and is helpful. And even if you can’t fully support your house’s energy consumption using solar panels, even using them to partially power your house can save money and help better the planet. Fossil Fuels are the number one used energy source in the world, and in order to change that, we need to start taking steps locally, and I believe solar energy is the way to do that.