Band 9 IELTS Essay Sample About The Growing Popularity Of Solar Energy

Here is a band 9 IELTS essay sample on a topic that appeared in a recently held IELTS test.

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 9 IELTS Essay Sample

Over the last few years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of homes powered by solar energy. Many factors contribute to this growing popularity of solar power.

Energy requirements are growing rapidly due to industrialisation and urbanisation. In order to meet this growing demand it is important to tap into new energy sources. Solar fits the bill perfectly. It is a renewable source. Unlike other energy sources like coal or petroleum, the source of solar energy – the sunlight – is non-perishable. That means as long as the world exists we will be able to harness the power of the sun. Also, unlike conventional energy sources like coal or petrol, solar energy is clean and green.

However, solar energy also has some limitations. Although technology has improved, solar energy is still more expensive than conventional energy. The initial cost of installation of solar panels is also quite high. Various other factors such as the lack of a support system for repairs and the difficulty in getting replacements are also hindering large scale adoption of solar power systems.

Another issue is the limited availability of sunlight in many parts of the world. There are many countries that do not receive any sunlight during certain periods of the year. They certainly cannot rely on a volatile power source like the sun.

To conclude, the growing popularity of solar power can be attributed to the fact that it is clean and renewable. Of course, solar power has its limitations too, but I believe that as the technology develops solar will become more popular than conventional energy sources.