October 20, 2015 | By RGR Marketing Blog

Solar Energy Benefits the Environment in More Ways than One

Most of your potential clients are probably already aware of the fact that going solar will reduce the amount of polluting chemicals released into the air by coal-burning power plants. But that's not the extent of it. As it turns out, a reduction in greenhouse emissions isn’t the only environmental benefit offered by solar energy.

The fact is, most conventional electricity generation strategies are extremely water intensive. Read on to learn more about why the connection between water and solar power is of the utmost importance to your solar installation business.

Thermoelectric Plants Use Staggering Amounts of Water

Thermoelectric plants such as coal, natural gas, and nuclear power plants produce energy by heating water to create steam, which in turn drives the turbines that produce the actual electricity.

The average consumer would likely be stunned to learn that thermoelectric plants, responsible for the vast majority of electrical energy in the United States, account for as much as half of our nation’s total water use.

Of course, they don’t actually use all of the water they draw; some of it is released as water vapor and steam. But this reintroduction of heated water can have deleterious effects on the ecosystems of local waterways.

Mining Uses Water, Too

Thermoelectric generation isn’t the only culprit threatening our water supply. The mining process used to source the coal that heats many of those same power plants is also extremely water intensive, and it contaminates groundwater and surface water for many miles around the mining sites.

Natural gas has been touted as a clean, inexpensive source of energy, but hydrofracking takes millions of gallons of water to complete, not to mention highly toxic chemicals.

What about oil sands and oil shale? As you may have guessed, producing these non-conventional crude oil sources requires staggering amounts of water.

At first glance, generating power with corn-based ethanol seems like a smart choice, but considering our quickly growing energy needs, this energy source could put our energy demands on a collision course with our need for potable water.

The Sun Will Always Shine, the Wind Will Always Blow

What can be done about our reliance on these water-intensive, environmentally harmful energy sources?

If you guessed “solar and wind,” then give yourself a pat on the back!

Solar and wind energy are nowhere near as thirsty as their fossil-fueled counterparts. While its true that water may be used in the manufacture of solar panels and wind turbines, and that solar panels have to be washed every now and then, their overall water consumption pales in comparison to the alternatives. It’s not quite zero, but compared to the other options, it’s basically close enough to round down.

So when your clients are asking about the real environmental benefits of going solar, you can tell them that solar doesn’t just prevent greenhouse emissions; it also improves water quality. Who would have thought?

And if you're looking to fill your sales pipeline with a ton of great leads before the end of the year, get in touch with RGR today. With just a quick phone call, you can buy the highest quality exclusive solar leads in the business, and jump-start your sales team quickly.

[Photo Via: Press Democrat]

Contact Us

Get started with free* leads.
Call us at 310-540-8900
Don’t take our word for it—find out for yourself how good our leads are and what a difference working with us can make.
Call us at 310-540-8900 or fill out the form below and we’ll tell you how you can get high quality leads for free*.
I authorize ReallyGreatRate, Inc. to communicate with me via email.
* Get up to 10% free leads on your first order!

Let's talk

Start making more money today

Mortgage

Solar

Home Improvement

  • I authorize ReallyGreatRate, Inc. to communicate with me via email.