Dear MEL Topic Readers
How China’s giant solar farms are transforming world energy?
Nowadays, when you drive or ride in the desert, you’ll most likely find solar panels and windmills in the middle of nowhere. If you drive along some river, you may find a dam that also produces hydroelectric power. In the meanwhile, there are fossil-fuel power stations in or near large cities. And of course, there are nuclear power plants somewhere between.
Which source of power is more economically efficient and environmentally friendly?
China has the world largest solar energy capacity in the world, having been subsidized and incentivized by the government. One reason is to become cleaner and friendlier to the environment. Another reason is to stimulate economic activities in uninhabited or undeveloped areas such as western desert and Tibet plateau.
Just like steel, construction, highspeed railways, and mobile phone industries, once they have become the world largest market, they export the products and technologies to the world. In fact, China produces over 60% of the world solar panels.
But there is one clear but not present danger. Though it is not as problematic as nuclear waste, solar panels on the ground and roofs will need to be broken up after a few decades. When they become industrial waste, they won’t be as clean as when they produced power because of the harmful chemicals like sulphuric acid.
Stop global warming and worry about waste later.
Enjoy reading and think if you want to install solar panels on your roofs if you haven’t.
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