Environmental Emission Reduction in Replacing Various Traditional Generators by PVs

Renewable energy resources, especially solar energy, have gained the attention of researchers worldwide. Energy generation by photovoltaic (PV) is more economical and environmentally friendly than fossil fuel. Research shows that exponential growth in PV generation of electricity is expected in the next few decades, which helps reduce global warming mainly caused by burning fossil fuel. Despite the positive impact of this clean energy, it is challenging to reliably match fluctuating electricity demand around the clock due to the intermittent nature of solar power. The output power depends on many factors, such as weather conditions, location of the plant, etc. For instance, the PV plants in Arizona generate more power than the equivalent plants in Michigan because of more sunny days per year. This research provides a comparative study and illustrates the positive impacts of replacing traditional energy generators that burn coal, gas, and diesel by renewable energy in different cities in the U.S.