Introduction

There are many renewable sources of power; among them, solar power is the most viable and the best option to counter climate change and meet the high energy demands. Sunlight is converted into power by photovoltaic cells on solar panels. In the recently released data by the IEA, solar energy makes up about 4.6% of global power production and is expected to increase by about 25% every year from 2021 to 2030. This, in turn, shows that Commercial Solar panel systems production will be making 20% of global energy production by 2030. However, high solar investments and governmental support by implementing supportive policies are required to achieve this goal. Different factors, such as the economic, energy, and grid integration challenges, make it difficult to ascertain the current percentage of solar power contribution to global power.

But it must be kept in mind that despite being an attractive option, solar power is only one of the solutions for some environmental and energy challenges the world is facing now. And also has certain social and ethical impacts that must be taken into account and need to be addressed. Solar energy affects people in both positive and negative ways. The article will explore the beneficiaries and who are at the losing end of this transition to solar power. The four key areas that would be focused on in this research would be the implications of solar energy on the environment, human health, social justice, and energy security.

The environmental impacts of solar energy

Undoubtedly solar power is not only affordable and renewable but also a clean source of energy. It is the best option to alleviate the disasters due to climate change and is extremely helpful for reducing carbon emissions. But it also comes with certain impacts and challenges that must be addressed to reap the maximum benefits. The solar systems differ in types and technologies, and similarly, they also differ in their impacts. They require land and water, so their impact on wildlife and human health is far-reaching. Below are discussed some of the impacts of solar power:

Land use: The most important requisite of solar systems island. Solar systems with higher capacity require vast land to be installed on. Such a huge use of land highly results in the loss of native habitat and is also a threat to native animals and plants. In some areas, fertile agricultural land must be installed to install the system. Whereas, in some cases, the land used minimizes the recreational facilities. Solar plants must be installed on low-quality lands, such as lands not in use or brownfields, to overcome these issues. Otherwise, the systems must be installed on corridors or infrastructure already built for transportation.

Water use: Though water is not directly used for electricity generation in solar panels, it is extremely high in production and cleaning. Water from local sources is used in high quantities for generating steam and cooling down the system in manufacturing units. Water from local sources impacts water quality and availability for local uses such as human consumption, wildlife, and agriculture. To reduce these detrimental impacts, different strategies like using recycled water, alternative sources of water, and dry-cooling technologies can be used in solar plants. 

Wildlife: For wildlife, solar parks have both positive and negative impacts. Producing clean energy can reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which are very beneficial for wildlife. Whereas on the negative side, solar installations can affect nesting and breeding and cause animal migration. It can also result in deaths and damage to animals when animals accidentally collide with solar plants or are exposed to sunlight concentration.

Human health: Solar plants also have positive and negative impacts on humans. With the production of cleaner energy, the air quality is highly improved and thus reducing the risks of cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. The diseases that are linked with fossil fuel combustion are also highly decreased. On the other hand, the negative impacts include exposure to accidents, collisions, and dangerous materials during the manufacturing, installation, and disposal of the equipment used for solar panels. Among the materials used in the process, some are responsible for causing cancer, skin diseases, or other related diseases. 

The human health impacts of solar energy

Solar energy is highly beneficial for humanity as it greatly helps reduce the greenhouse gases from the environmental, improving air quality and giving access to health services that can be relied on. However, the negative impacts of solar plants should also be addressed. Exposure to solar parks can result in various diseases, from cancers to skin and eye diseases. Below are some facts given regarding the impacts of solar parks on humanity, released by different sources:

• World Health Organization (WHO), the top UN body for dealing with health matters, reports that long exposure to solar radiation can result in cancer, cataracts, or other skin and eye diseases. It can also result in a faster aging process. However, the effects can differ according to the duration of exposure, skin type, and quality of protection used during exposure. It is worth mentioning that solar panels emit very weak electromagnetic fields, which are not harmful to human health. According to WHO, no evidence suggests that these weak radiations cause any harm to humans. 
• Another benefit of solar power is that reliable healthcare facilities can be ensured in far-flung areas where electric power is not accessible. Using solar energy, refrigerating and preserving medicines, sterilizing surgical equipment, and easily operating devices required for medical facilities. 
• An estimated 34 million people have benefitted from UNDP’s Solar for Health initiative. Through the initiative, the UNDP has ensured access to power to more than 900 healthcare centers around 11 countries.
• It is a well-known fact that fossil fuel combustion emits high amounts of gases that are very dangerous for human health; these include SO2, CO2, and Nitrous oxide. These gases are extremely detrimental to human health, and solar energy production can significantly reduce these gases, thus preventing premature deaths and saving millions of lost work hours caused due to illness and diseases.

The social justice impacts of solar energy

Besides mitigating the disastrous effects of solar energy and reducing emissions, solar power generation also plays a great role in achieving social justice. Some of the ways to achieve social justice are:

• The privileged classes of society have no or little problems as far as power supplies are concerned. But the residents of rural or far-flung areas need this facility. Solar power can make the affordable provision of electricity to these areas very easy and reliable. And by providing solar power, access to basic healthcare services, education, and communication can also be ensured.
• The installation of solar plants generates a lot of economic opportunities. People get electricity and are empowered. Furthermore, social inclusion is increased when people cooperate in installing or maintaining the panels.
• And the land required to install solar plants can make marginalized communities more marginalized by snatching land from them. It can also alter the local culture.
• Pollution and waste are also increased by disposing of materials related to solar plants. Moreover, the energy produced is not distributed equally.

Therefore, solar installation are not a simple solution to climate change; it’s a complex issue that all stakeholders must understand and resolve. To ensure social justice through the provision of solar power, a holistic and multipronged strategy is required.

The energy security impacts of solar energy

Affordability and continuous electricity supply are positives of solar power regarding energy security. 

Below are given some of the impacts:

• Fossil fuels are finite and will end in the future, but solar power is free, affordable, and will stay.
• The resilience of the solar energy system can be increased by solar power.
• Solar power can become reliable when combined with other renewable sources.
• The panels can be installed free of any grid, such as on the rooftops of homes or public buildings.
• In areas with limited access to the grid system, solar power can produce abundant power to be used.

In all these and many other ways, solar energy can make energy security feasible, but some challenges, like the unavailability of sunlight and storage issues, must be addressed first. For this, it requires heavy investments and friendly policies.

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Final Analysis

Despite being an attractive alternative to fossil fuels, solar power has social and ethical impacts. Most products related to solar panels are manufactured in countries with low wages and reported human abuses, like China. The local culture and resources like land and water are also affected by solar installations. On the positive side, it can produce employment opportunities and is highly beneficial for the environment and, ultimately, for human health. Overcoming the energy-related issues of the world is a challenge. It requires a comprehensive and multifaceted strategy to resolve the issue that comes hand-in-hand with solar power.