Band 8 IELTS Essay Sample

Solar energy is becoming more and more popular as a source of household energy in many countries around the world. Why is this? What are the advantages and disadvantages of solar energy?
BAND 8 IELTS ESSAY SAMPLE
In recent years, there has been a rapid increase in the usage of solar power for domestic purpose in many countries. In this essay, I shall discuss the reason behind this trend, and highlight the merits and demerits of solar energy with the help of examples.
There are mainly two reasons for this. firstly, the fossil fuels are depleting at a fast pace. This is largely because the demand for energy is increasing day by day, and as they are non-renewable sources of energy, they are bound to be exhausted someday. For instance, recent empirical research by the UK Government has demonstrated that humans have already consumed over 70 % of the available crude oil and by 2050, there will be no oil left on the earth. Secondly, because of the political instability in the world, many countries are not willing to share their energy resources with others. Consequently, governments have started looking for alternatives for the conventional sources of energy.
There are numerous benefits to powering homes with solar power. Since no pollution is generated while harvesting sun’s heat, it is considered as the safest and greenest fuel. Additionally, the cost of installing solar panels for electricity is quite affordable and many nations are offering lucrative schemes to promote solar power. For example, in India, the government is offering subsidies on solar panels and other equipment. Therefore, it is conclusively clear that because of the associated benefits, people are switching to solar energy.
On the flip side, solar energy does have some demerits. It can only be generated during the day and that too in countries where sunlight is available in abundance. This is due to the fact that in many parts of the world, sun is only visible for few hours a day. For example, in countries like Finland and Iceland it is not possible to harvest sun’s heat in winters because it is too cold and sun is not visible throughout the day. Hence, this is the major hurdle in switching completely to solar energy for domestic and commercial purpose.
To conclude, there is no doubt that solar energy is a cheapest and great source of household energy and in my opinion, it is predicted that its usage will continue to increase in the future.