What are some of the disadvantages of solar energy use?

Solar energy heating or solar electric products often have higher "first costs" than other similar products, meaning that it will likely cost more initially to purchase and install a solar system than it will to purchase and install another kind of heating or electric system.[1]

Other major disadvantages of solar energy are:[2]

• The amount of sunlight that arrives at the earth's surface is not constant. It depends on location, time of day, time of year, and weather conditions.
• Because the sun doesn't deliver that much energy to any one place at any one time, a large surface area is required to collect the energy at a useful rate.

Indirect negative impacts on the environment resulting from solar energy include: 1) consumption of silicon and production of some waste products from the manufacturing of the photovoltaic cells used to convert sunlight into electricity, and 2) desert ecosystems can be harmed by large solar thermal farms unless properly managed.[3]

Research by Diane Meade