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Which is more efficient solar or wind energy?

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Mar. 14, 2022
Courtesy ofAbora Solar

Before we start our reasoning, we`d like to remind you that both are renewables, and therefore both are great energy options to turn to to improve our planet and to break our addiction to oil and gas.

Today we will try to answer a question that we often ask ourselves when we are interested in renewable energies : between solar and wind energy, which is the most efficient?

First, let`s take a look at what renewable energy means. Renewable energies are all those energy sources that are obtained from natural resources. These sources are: the sun, wind, water and plant or animal biomass.

Among the various renewable alternatives for generating electricity, solar power and wind power are the most popular options. In this sense, its role is decisive in reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GIS). The technologies to transform these energy sources are solar panels and wind turbines, respectively. First, solar panels convert solar radiation into energy. The truth is that the wind is also generated by solar energy. This is due to the difference in atmospheric pressure caused by solar radiation. Basically, it is an energy based on movement. Then, when the impulse of the wind turns the propellers of the generator, the turbine transforms the kinetic energy into direct current.

The data to retain about wind power

Wind energy can be used at any time of the day, so the use of batteries to accumulate surpluses is optional. A 5kW wind turbine is capable of generating enough energy for a household with six members. This is equivalent to the amount of energy produced by 24 photovoltaic solar panels.

At the utility level, offshore and onshore wind power decreased by approximately 9% year-on-year between 2010 and 2019. In this way, it reached 5.3 cents of the dollar or 4.5 cents of euro per kWh and the 11.5 US cents or 9.9 euro cents/kWh. As we said, wind turbines  are not suitable for urban environments where there are buildings or other elements that interrupt the flow of the wind.

The moving parts of wind turbines produce noise. Apart from that, its visual impact on the landscape and its effects on the fauna cause many controversies. Another aspect of wind energy is that the use itself wears out the turbines of the wind turbines. Consequently, they need more frequent and expensive maintenance than a solar system.

Also, an important consideration when thinking about wind power is that it will not fully meet your energy needs, as it will only provide you with electricity . In fact, your energy demand is made up of electricity and heat. The heat part is the one that is consumed the most and the one that has the most repercussions both on the bill and on the environment. Thus, with the option of wind turbines, there is not a really effective and complete answer, a fact that is also demonstrated by the fact that wind turbine installations are carried out at sea or in the countryside, therefore, far from the places of consumption, which supposes a transport of this energy. But this transport of energy involves huge losses.

The data to retain about solar energy
Certainly,  solar panels  can be installed on the roofs of industrial buildings, roofs and terraces of buildings for self-consumption in companies. Of course, they can also be mounted on the roofs of houses in the communities for shared self-consumption. In addition, they can be placed on the ground to provide energy to small farms and large agro-industrial companies. According to this objective, the agrovoltaic modality can be implemented, to create synergy between the crops and the facilities. For this reason, solar energy is practical for both urban and rural areas and industries.

A solar power system has no moving parts and takes up less space depending on the solar panel you choose. In addition, its installation is faster, with a minimum of wiring.

So it requires less supervision and is less expensive to maintain. Quality solar panels generally have a useful life of 25 years or more. Solar energy is less susceptible to lightning and damage from high winds. On the other hand, the operation of solar energy is totally silent.

In short, if you really want to take advantage of everything that solar energy offers and obtain a complete response regarding your energy demand, you have to go for hybrid solar technology . This technology produces both electricity and heat, which allows you to respond to your energy needs, obtaining better savings on your energy bills and really lowering your CO2 emissions. Because the greatest CO2 emission comes from heat, you can`t forget that!

In terms of efficiency They are the same?

Finally, we come to the part that perhaps interests you the most: the performance of these two energies. When we talk about performance, we mean the amount of energy produced. According to an experiment conducted by Inland Power and Light , solar power is the more efficient of the two. The two compared a nearly 35-foot wind turbine with an array of solar panels, making sure that both could generate the same amount of electricity under optimal conditions. Both also had the same cost of $22,000.

Apparently, the solar panel generates five times more power than the wind turbine, mainly due to variations in wind speed that prevent the turbine from generating power. Solar energy, it seems, is less intermittent than wind.

Another advantage of solar panels is that they are easier to integrate architecturally . However, considering the amount of energy we need to run this planet, it`s nice to have both options. Undoubtedly, under certain conditions, wind will be more useful than solar energy and vice versa. The point is to continue developing both technologies so that they become more and more efficient and profitable.

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