▁times ▁more ▁power ▁than ▁what ▁is ▁needed ▁to ▁supply ▁the ▁entire ▁world . ▁Sol ar ▁power ▁can ▁be ▁used ▁to ▁generate ▁electric ity ▁in ▁places ▁that ▁lack ▁a ▁grid ▁connection , ▁such ▁as ▁dist illing ▁water ▁in ▁Africa , ▁or ▁even ▁to ▁power ▁sat ell ites ▁in ▁space . ▁There ▁are ▁no ▁moving ▁parts ▁involved ▁in ▁most ▁applications ▁of ▁solar ▁power , ▁leading ▁to ▁no ▁noise ▁associated ▁with ▁phot ov olta ic ▁pan els . ▁This ▁comp ares ▁favor able ▁to ▁certain ▁other ▁green - tech s ▁such ▁as ▁wind ▁tur b ines . ▁ ▁Unfortunately , ▁solar ▁energy ▁still ▁comes ▁with ▁a ▁few ▁draw back s . ▁Similarly ▁to ▁wind ▁energy , ▁land ▁use ▁is ▁a ▁concern . ▁However , ▁solar ▁pan els ▁can ▁be ▁placed ▁on ▁ro o ft ops ▁and ▁in ▁this ▁case ▁they ▁do ▁not ▁take ▁up ▁space ▁that ▁could ▁have ▁been ▁used ▁for ▁something ▁more ▁product ive . ▁Pan els ▁can ▁also ▁be ▁placed ▁at ▁low ▁quality ▁locations ▁such ▁as ▁brown fields , ▁abandoned ▁min ing ▁land , ▁or ▁existing ▁transport ation ▁and ▁transmission ▁cor rid ors . ▁The ▁manufact uring ▁of ▁solar ▁pan els ▁also ▁has ▁some ▁negative ▁impact s . ▁They ▁require ▁a ▁significant ▁amount ▁of ▁water ▁to ▁be ▁produced , ▁but ▁dry - co ol ing ▁technology ▁can ▁reduce ▁water ▁use ▁at ▁manufact uring ▁plants ▁by ▁approximately ▁ 9 0 ▁percent . ▁ ▁Ge oth erm al ▁energy ▁▁ ▁Ge oth erm al ▁energy ▁is ▁another ▁type ▁of ▁vi able ▁and ▁increasing ly ▁common ▁renew