Going Green – How Portable Solar Panels Are helping Cities Reach Sustainability Goals

 

Seventeen SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) have been set for the year 2030. Education, health, gender equality, eradicating poverty, and access to energy are just a few of the many vital areas covered by these goals. These goals are lofty, and are supported to differing degrees by different governments. Solar energy is a key component of the SDGs, and will play an instrumental role in ensuring universal access to clean energy.

Globally, the need for energy continues to increase. By 2040, the EIA predicts, global electricity demand will have increased by 28%, with developing nations enduring the brunt of this surge. Solar power can help us fulfill our energy requirements without harming the planet.

How Does Portable Solar Energy Work?

Solar energy is amongst the most plentiful energy resources out there. To put it simply, solar energy is the energy we get through sunlight – and portable solar panels help us harness this energy for electricity production. There is a growing number of ways in which solar energy can be used, and these uses are expanding as the technology improves and becomes more affordable.

When it comes to alternative energy sources, solar power is among the most popular. Since it does not release harmful emissions, it is a clean energy option. Solar technology may make a major contribution to the effort to lower carbon dioxide output. Due to the lack of moving parts and fuel, portable solar panels are also very safe to use.

As mentioned, portable solar panels absorb sunlight and convert it into electrical energy. Silicon, a common material for solar panels, is excellent at soaking up the sun's rays. When solar panels are exposed to sunlight, they generate electricity. This absorbed DC current is then sent to an inverter, where it is converted into the usable AC form. You can then use this AC current to power the various electrical appliances and devices through solar power.

Using portable solar panels not only helps you cut down on your energy bills, but also lower your carbon footprint and preserve the environment.

Reasons to Use Portable Solar Panels for Sustainable Development

Using solar power for sustainable development is an excellent option, since it helps power your home while also aiding the planet. Since solar energy is renewable and limitless, it can make essential contributions to long-term sustainability.

Secondly, since it does not emit any toxic greenhouse gases, solar power is not a contributor to global warming. In fact, solar power has a pretty much negligible carbon footprint.

Using solar power is not only beneficial for the planet, but also financially sound. Although the upfront cost of installing solar panels can be high, the money you save on your monthly electricity bill more than makes up for it.

As technology advances and more solar farms are constructed, more and more people and companies will have access to renewable solar energy. More widespread adoption of solar power will undoubtedly contribute to long-term sustainability.

Role of Portable Solar Panels in Achieving Sustainability Development Goals

Sustainability and environmental considerations must be taken into account when developing new energy sources. Conventionally, fossil fuels and natural gas have been the primary sources of energy production. Unfortunately, while these sources provide a lot of the energy that makes the world go round, they also cause significant and often irreparable harm to it. The regions that experience these events suffer a decline in life quality.

The fuel is also shipped to other developed, industrialized nations. There are times when the oil prices are too high for the source to be able to afford it. The focus of SDG 7 is to ensure clean and affordable energy for all. Let us discuss how solar energy can help us bring closer to achieving this objective.

Providing Affordable and Clean Energy for Everyone

Solar is the most rapidly expanding renewable energy sector worldwide. The technology is still in its infancy, but its usefulness is already becoming apparent. As a result of this, solar power is now considered a game-changer in the energy sector.

The amazing decline in solar energy prices is generally credited to the industry's rapid expansion. When solar power was first introduced 60 years ago, it cost $1,910 per watt. Due to the cost, it could only be sold in nice segments.

Today, though, solar is perhaps the most cost-effective source of energy. Plus, thanks to portable solar panels, the cost of installation has also gone down, and this trend is expected to continue far into the future.

The LCOE (Levelized Cost of Electricity) has decreased as a result of the low prices of power. By 2025, it is expected to drop from 0.13 $US/kWh to 0.06 $US/kWh. Now that solar energy has become widely available, it can power virtually any household.

Also of note is that prices are generally lower in emerging nations. Renewable energy investment increased in developing countries in 2015, surpassing that of their developed counterparts. In these countries, solar power is competitive with or even cheaper than gas, oil, and coal.

Another reason that solar power is cheaper in developing nations is because of the absence of infrastructure required for conventional energy sources. This allows these countries to gain the most from the decrease in solar prices.

Having a sustainable, clean source of energy helps bridge the gap between power supply and demand.

Powering Development

It is clear that solar power helps achieve the SDG by making clean, affordable energy available to more people. However, that is far from solar energy’s only contribution to the cause. The availability of a sustainable, cheap, and dependable energy source has been shown to have positive effects on the social and economic well-being of entire communities, such as:

1) Environmental Benefits

The repercussions of climate change, including the frequency and severity of natural disasters like droughts, wildfires, and hurricanes and tornadoes, are a recurring topic of conversation. The rising sea level presents another major concern. These changes directly impact ongoing initiatives to reach the SDGs.

Fossil fuels damage the environment, and are a major reason behind poor water, air, and land quality around the globe. Renewable energy sources like solar help achieve energy goals while safeguarding ecosystems. They reduce GHG output without compromising on economic development.

2) Economic Benefits

Through solar, a nation can not only reduce its carbon footprint and emissions, but also boost its economy. The creation of new jobs is one concrete manner in which solar energy achieves the goal of economic growth. When compared to other forms of energy production, these employments are significantly more secure and reliable.

Other than that, solar power also presents the opportunity for greater economic activity. These activities play a key role in fostering grass-root level growth in a country. As novel business models take shape, they present chances for investment that can serve as a springboard for electricity production.

The growth of solar-powered small businesses in underdeveloped regions is a prime illustration of this trend. This sector provides the public with the power necessary to run and charge their phones, light up their offices and stores, and more. Such action is essential to achieving SDG 1: poverty elimination.

3) Reduction in Economic Inequality

SDG number 10 focuses on reducing inequality both within and between nations. Solar energy makes this possible by leveling the playing field between urban and rural areas. As a result, it promises equal opportunities for all players. This phenomenon can perhaps be best explained by the internet.

Presently, 64.4% of the world’s population has internet access. The remaining 36% are what we call ‘internet-less’, primarily due to no or inadequate infrastructure and electricity. If portable solar panels are widely used in areas with poor grid access, people in remote locations can communicate with the rest of the world through solar-power devices. Those currently at a disadvantage can gain a lot by having access to the internet.

COVID-19 showed us the central role that the internet plays in access to education. The goal of providing quality education, which is covered under SDG 4, has taken a hit due to the pandemic – particularly in areas without reliable access to electricity or the internet.

The lack of electricity can also be a problem in schools. Without electricity, both time and resources for education would be severely constrained. With portable solar panels, however, schools have access to the energy they need to keep students in class for longer. Now, those places can get set up with computers and internet access, expanding the educational opportunities available to the local youth.

4) Provision of Human Rights

With the advent of solar energy, formerly inaccessible human rights have become a reality. Today's farmers utilize solar-powered irrigation systems to maximize crop yields. Food surplus leads to an increase in food security, which, in turn, helps reduce hunger –the objective covered under SDG 2. Evidence suggests a 161% gain in yearly savings for farmers that switch from diesel to solar pumps.

Solar energy is also being used to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of medical centers. The ability to use solar energy for healthcare means that hospitals can keep their lights on, the machinery running, and vaccinations under optimal temperatures. A growing number of medical facilities will need to use solar energy systems in order to reach SDG 3. Portable solar panels offer power that is both affordable and dependable. Savings on power costs are another way that hospitals can reinvest their savings into patient care.

5) Attaining Gender Equality

One of SDG 5's main goals is to ensure that all girls and women have the same opportunities as males. Having reliable energy means more children, especially females, in underdeveloped nations can go to school. The availability of energy will also encourage more women to take the entrepreneurial plunge. When women have access to more job and business opportunities, they are likelier to achieve financial freedom. Solar power in communities helps level the playing field for females.

The Future of Solar Energy in Achieving SDGs

Low-cost solar energy has the potential to drastically improve the lives of the world's impoverished and most ecologically sensitive people. However, for that to happen, the price of solar energy needs to drop further. According to World Bank projections, a yearly global investment of $45 billion in solar technology is necessary merely to meet universal access to sustainable energy sources such as micro or wind electricity. This amounts to almost half of one percent (0%) of the annual growth rate of GDP!

We know that saving money via energy efficiency has a lot of economic logic behind it – even in the absence of market incentives. Thus, in spite of the above challenges, global momentum remains strong; since 2010, more than half of all new jobs have been created.

Solar is viable because it is scalable. It is present in Most of the world's issues can be solved by it, and you can find it in things like solar-powered lighting, micro-grids, and industrial-scale farming. Power for many homes and businesses can come from large solar farms that are wired into the electrical grid.

The SDGs are ambitious yet well-intended objectives. The year 2030 is just a decade away. Solar energy has proved conclusively that its adaptation may assist the globe in achieving these objectives. The world can solve poverty, handle healthcare challenges, and give children with adequate education if everyone has access to renewable energy. In addition, as economies grow, it can help bridge the ever-widening gap between the poor and the rich.

If you are looking to buy a portable solar panel and be part of this effort, explore our wide range of options. We offer many different types of portable solar panels, kits, and generators, for your needs, power requirements, and budget.

Please get in touch today and start your journey towards creating a more sustainable world for the present and future generations.