According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, about a third of the energy being generated worldwide is through renewables. IRENA also states that 84 percent of the new renewable energy facilities that are coming online worldwide are either solar or wind installations or a combination thereof.
Rusty Tweed, an entrepreneur from San Marino, California, sees the value in using solar energy. He has formed partnerships with players in the Hawaiian public and private sector to create a 93-kilowatt solar panel installation at the Kukui Center, a shelter for abused children. The center is now totally energy independent. He is seeking partnerships with others who have the vision and commitment to providing safe, clean, renewable energy.
Tweed, a graduate from the University of Waterloo with a degree in mechanical engineering, is an entrepreneur that owns three firms. His San Marino-based, financial consulting firm is Tweed Financial Services. Mold Zero, a mold-elimination enterprise of Tweed’s, serves the greater Los Angeles and Tampa Bay areas. Tweed also owns TFS Properties, Inc., a company that finds and brokers market properties around the country with great cash potential.
Tweed supports solar energy installation because of the tremendous value it provides. The following are a few of the reasons why solar energy and other renewables are superior to non-renewable energy sources.
Clean Energy
With solar energy, there is no need for pipelines of gas or oil that can leak into the environment. Also, tankers of oil can create dangerous oil spills that harm the ocean and aquatic life. Solar energy quietly and consistently creates energy, even when the skies are cloudy because the solar panel technology today is superior to the early solar panel iterations. Solar energy does not generate any gas emissions of any kind, unlike non-renewable sources of energy.
Promotes Local Energy Independence
Wherever solar energy replaces non-renewables or rises where there was no energy infrastructure, local governments can free themselves of dealings with non-renewable energy suppliers from other areas or other countries who can create monopolies to raise energy prices. There is also no danger of imported oil or gas delivery tankers being hijacked or delayed in geopolitical conflict hotspots.
Utilizes Local Workers
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, whether the installation is solar or wind, the machinery and battery storage are maintained and replaced locally by workers who live where the energy is being generated. It is a great boon to local economies. Solar panel factories can also be domestic to keep all facets of energy generation within the community, immune to trade wars or embargoes, sanctions, or other geopolitical threats or force.
Less Expensive
The initial cost of solar energy in the past was prohibitive anywhere there was already an electricity infrastructure in place, except in the instance of buildings in warmer climates needing air conditioning in the summer. Today, according to Renewable Energy World, about two-thirds of all new power installations worldwide are renewables. The decreased costs of solar installations, due to mass production and technological improvements, and the willingness of governments to support such installations, such as with tax credits, has made solar and wind power the energy sources of choice in new power facilities. What needs to happen now is a universal implementation of tax credits across the board. At present, they tend to vary each year and by state making it hard for anyone trying to take advantage of said tax credits without outside help. A free tax calculator can be helpful in this scenario, or even better, a certified accountant. One thing is for certain, renewable energy isn’t going anywhere and as time progresses, the technological advances and financial benefits will progress along with it.
Solar Panel Longevity
The average solar panel today will last 25 to 30 years before its performance significantly begins to degrade, requiring panel replacement. Thus, solar panels are a good, long-term investment in energy generation.
Rusty Tweed encourages other entrepreneurs as well as public and private entities to partner together to power our world with renewables, such as solar energy, for the security, longevity, and safety of our planet and its citizens.