The Benefits and Challenges in Solar Adoption

 Figure 1: Blue Lake Rancheria’s microgrid diagram [2]

The Benefits and Challenges in Solar Adoption

 

Joshua Porter

Portland State University

December 5, 2025

 

 

 

 

 

Abstract:  This article covers the benefits, drawbacks and solutions to the widespread adoption of solar panels as a key solution to climate change resiliency and as an alternative green energy source. An abundant amount of solar energy falls on the Earth each day that could allow for a decentralized set of microgrids that create stronger economies worldwide and provide a source of cleaner energy. With this abundant source of daily energy, there are times where it doesn’t shine as strongly despite high demand, there is still a high cost for utility scale panels, there is limited land and misplaced intentions in government permitting for solar panel siting, and there is the ever growing problem of E-waste as panels lose efficiency. Solutions to these real problems include hybrid energy systems, governmental fiscal policy, multi-use land, and a circular economy that allows for a truly renewable energy system that is equitable and cleaner.

 

Key words:  solar energy, climate change, photovoltaics, agrivoltaics, 

 

 

 

I. Introduction

A rapid transition away from fossil fuels is necessary to avoid the worst case scenario climate scenarios. Solar panels are a key solution to global warming, providing clean energy wherever the sun shines without greenhouse gas emission. Briefly, solar panels work by having multiple photovoltaic (PV) cells linked together creating a solar module. They are made from materials that create free electrons when struck by photons which provide DC power which can be inverted to AC for long distance transmission (i.e. solar farms), or kept as DC for on-site use (i.e. rooftop solar). Though solar panels generate clean energy wherever the sun shines while creating resilient microgrids and bolstering local economies, there are challenges to their adoption that are real but solvable.

II. Benefits of Solar Energy

A.     Abundant, On-site generation for billions of years

Solar energy is the most abundant, readily accessible form of energy for the approximately 8 billion inhabitants of the planet. On the other hand, the sun is constantly emitting energy at a rate of 3.8 x 1023 kW per second, 1.08 x 1014 kW of which hits Earth’s surface, meaning that around 7,500+ times the world's total annual energy consumption falls on the Earth each year [1]. This form of energy will be abundant for as long as the sun and Earth live (approx. 1 billion years) and the fact that the sun shines on practically every location on the planet means that with solar panels, geopolitical conflicts associated with oil and gas would be a null point. Additionally, harvesting this abundant energy would not deplete resources for future generations.

B.     Micro-grids

With more localized power generation sites coming online from rooftop solar and institutional solar development, it provides the opportunity to feed energy back into the grid which can stabilize the grid, reduce energy that is lost in transmission, and lower costs in the long-run. Additionally, mico-grids powered by solar panels with battery backups offer a great service in providing energy during emergencies such as a severe earthquake or tsunami for a coastal town.

Figure 1: Blue Lake Rancheria’s microgrid diagram [2]

The tribal government of the Blue Lake Rancheria (BLR) invested in such a microgrid, offering an example of how solar-battery microgrids can be used to power Red Cross shelters in emergencies and the grid in day-to-day operations [2].

C.    Cleaner source of energy

Electricity generation from solar power produces zero direct air pollution once manufactured, making it a great source of clean energy for governments to reach their climate agreements such as the International 2015 Paris Agreement. Additionally, with air pollution being the cause of 100,000 to 200,000 deaths annually in the US alone, with air pollution from fossil fuels causing about half of the deaths, a larger proportion of solar on the grid will result in cleaner air [3]. 

D.     Potential for increased economic development

By reducing the dependency on imported fuels, the solar industry can create a stronger local economy with less money flowing away from a city, while also creating jobs in manufacturing, installation/maintenance, sales, and R&D. Local economies with a high ratio of solar energy would have more energy security, which insulates them from market downturns. Additionally, solar panels offer an excellent long-term investment for homeowners, especially as solar efficiency improves and the cost per kWh decreases. 

III. Drawbacks to solar

A.     Lack of Reliability

The sun shines from behind dense cloud cover or, in the polar regions, for only a few hours a day. Additionally, the times when the sun is out at full strength may not be the time that consumers are using the most energy, with household energy consumption increasing as people get home from work in the evening when the sun is beyond the horizon. Panels may also be blocked by dust, snow, pollen, or be broken by hail or vandals.

 

B.     High initial cost 

The high initial cost of solar panels restricts access for many people. Homeowners may not be able to afford it or willing to go in debt with a potential return on investment and renters without land are restricted to buying green energy credits if they are available in their region. Investors may find other things to use large swaths of land for that are more profitable. The long term cost to operate solar is low, but without an initial boost from government incentives, solar development is less appealing to homeowners and developers.

C. Limited Space and Permitting

Additionally, large solar farms require a lot of land, at times municipal governments work with utility companies to reach greenhouse gas reduction goals and place solar farms on fragile ecosystems such as the controversial Sacramento County Coyote Creek solar farm which will kill endangered native wildflowers and struggling oak trees [4]. Practices such as these by institutions that on the surface appear sustainable but in reality do more harm than good are called “greenwashing”.

D.     E-Waste

Solar panels lose approximately 0.48% to 0.88% efficiency each year depending on weather conditions [5]. By the time panels are 25-30 years old, they generally reach 80% of the original, one can continue to use the panel or dispose of it by recycling it or throwing it away. In practice, governments do not always have straightforward recycling policies and it may be more profitable to simply make new panels than to recycle existing ones. Solar panels have recyclable materials such as aluminum, glass, silver, and silicon (the latter 2 are harder to extract however), but they also have toxic metals such as lead which can hazardous waste when disposed of improperly. 

IV. Solutions

 

A.     Energy storage, smart grids, hybrid systems

 As mentioned in the pros of solar panels, microgrids enabled by solar panels can strengthen the grid. Any energy must be spent immediately as it is generated, therefore, with a large amount of solar panels, if the energy demand does not meet the supply, such as at noon, energy can be stored for when demand increases. Smaller scale energy generation changes the traditional, centralized way of energy generation, creating smart grids which enable multi-direction information flow in a decentralized manner and enables more active participation in the system by energy users. For instance, users could do their laundry during sunny hours when energy is cheaper. A decentralized grid also hybridizes well with geothermal as a baseline and wind which often strengthens at night.

B.     Government Financial incentives

Government policies which subsidizes renewable energy adoption are critical for its integration into the energy mix. China heavily subsidized solar manufacturing which is why China dominates the solar supply chain, where 80% of main components are produced [6]. Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act gave tax credits for homeowners, investors, and manufacturers which moved US green energy dominance forward, though these policies are being removed by an administration more in favor of fossil fuels. Despite the removal of US tax credits, as panels become more efficient thanks to foreign policies, utility scale solar energy is becoming the cheapest form of per MWh energy [7].

C.     Multi use land (canals, agrivoltaics, parking lots, brown fields)

Instead of using land that is beneficial for wildlife as in the Coyote Creek instance, governments and utilities should prioritize areas that have already been developed. Parking lots in the US take up a combined area use of Delaware and Rhode Island [8], which is why the US and other countries should follow South Korea's example of requiring solar installations for parking lots over 1000 square meters [9].

Table 1: Results of PV installation over a green roof with a control for a white and black colored roof [10].

Putting PV’s over existing canals, crops (agrivoltaics), or green roofs can help reduce water loss while keeping the panel cooler which improves efficiency [10]. This would also reduce the air temperature around the panel, cooling urban areas.

D.     Circular Economy, recycling, and carbon payback time

Companies that manufacture panels should have circularity built into the entire lifetime of a panel. When panels reach their end of life, they can be given to recycling companies such as SOLARCYCLES or to a company that holds panels on site before shipping them in mass to a recycling center. Some states, such as Washington State, have policies where panel manufacturers must provide an environmentally friendly way to recycle the panels, though not all states have this and some states want the market to dictate what happens to the panels. Recycling would also help to create a secure supply chain, since solar panels have rare metals such as silver, dysprosium, and cerium. Solar panels also have a benchmark carbon payback time of 2.1 years, but it can range from .8 to 20 years depending on location of the panel []. The carbon payback time is the time it takes for the panel to offset the carbon emissions the panel produced. So even without recycling them, solar panels still offset their own carbon emissions, something that can not be said with fossil fuels, which can’t be recycled once burned and produce far more waste and hazardous materials than solar panel manufacturing and disposal.

V. Conclusion 

 Solar power is the cornerstone of clean, renewable energy. Just as the industrial revolution was characterized by coal powered steam engines and later natural gas, we are entering a period of solarization as it becomes the cheapest form of energy. Energy generation is becoming more dispersed and abundant while creating resilient local communities. Advances in smart and micro-grids are making solar reliable, government green energy policies internationally are strengthening and lowering the cost of adoption even in countries without policies, and there are many solutions as to where to place panels to get dual use of a space. Finally, as more solar panels near their end of useful life, many panels will end up in landfills as E-waste, but they will increasingly be recycled as the cost to recycle them goes down and the benefits of a cyclical supply chain becomes economically viable. Solar energy needs further investment and the political willpower to create a prosperous future for the environment and the countless individuals of future generations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

[1] “World Energy Council 2013 World Energy Resources: Solar 8.1 8 Solar,” 2013. Available: https://www.worldenergy.org/assets/images/imported/2013/10/WER_2013_8_Solar_revised.pdf

[2] D. Narum, J. Ganion, B. Lake, and R. Carter, “Developing a Low-Carbon Microgrid on Tribal Lands: A Case Study.” Available: https://bluelakerancheria-nsn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/11_459.pdf

[3] S. K. Thakrar et al., “Reducing Mortality from Air Pollution in the United States by Targeting Specific Emission Sources,” Environmental Science & Technology Letters, vol. 7, no. 9, pp. 639–645, Jul. 2020, doi: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.estlett.0c00424.

[4] F. Alvarez, “Sacramento County leaders approve 2,700-acre solar farm after hours of debate,” Abridged – PBS KVIE, Nov. 19, 2025. https://www.abridged.org/news/sacramento-county-leaders-approve-solar-farm/ (accessed Nov. 30, 2025).

‌[5] “How Extreme Weather and System Aging Affect the US Photovoltaic Fleet” Nrel.gov, 2025. https://www.nrel.gov/news/detail/program/2024/how-extreme-weather-and-system-aging-affect-the-us-photovoltaic-fleet

[6]A. Chadly, K. Moawad, K. Salah, M. Omar, and A. Mayyas, “State of global solar energy market: Overview, China’s role, Challenges, and Opportunities,” Sustainable horizons, vol. 11, pp. 100108–100108, Sep. 2024, doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.horiz.2024.100108.

‌

‌

[7] R. Kennedy, “Solar cost of electricity beats lowest-cost fossil fuel – even without tax credits,” pv magazine USA, Jul. 1, 2025. https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/07/01/solar-cost-of-electricity-beats-lowest-cost-fossil-fuel-even-without-tax-credits/‌

[8]D. Herriges, “Strong Towns Archive,” Strong Towns Archive, Nov. 27, 2019. https://archive.strongtowns.org/journal/2019/11/27/parking-dominates-our-cities-but-do-we-really-see-it

[9] “South Korea mandates solar systems at public parking lots from late November,” pv magazine International, Nov. 13, 2025. https://www.pv-magazine.com/2025/11/13/south-korea-mandates-solar-systems-at-public-parking-lots-from-late-november/ (accessed Nov. 30, 2025).

‌[10]H. Ogaili, “Measuring the Effect of Vegetated Roofs on the Performance of Photovoltaic Panels in Combined Systems,” Jan. 2000, doi: https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.2296.

‌

[11] “Energy and Carbon Payback Times for Modern U.S. Utility Photovoltaic Systems,” Mar. 2025. https://docs.nrel.gov/docs/fy24osti/88653.pdf

‌

‌