With the potential to save lives and the environment, every solar energy system makes a difference. One major benefit of solar panels Las Vegas is a significant reduction in carbon emissions and consumption of fewer fossil fuels. Solar, like other types of renewable energy, also improves air quality in the surrounding area. The benefits of improved air quality are most pronounced in major cities like Las Vegas, where respiratory diseases caused by air pollution cause roughly 3,000 – 12,000 premature deaths nationwide each year. Across all cities and states, the World Health Organization estimates that the annual death toll from air pollution in the US is about 200,000 a year. Respiratory diseases that result from inhaling polluted air cause about 155,000 deaths nationwide every year. This makes respiratory illness the third leading cause of illness-related deaths annually in the US. The top two are heart disease and cancer. Economically, the health benefits from solar energy across the country amount to about $80 billion annually in reduced medical expenses. While the statistics seem monumental, data shows that every Las Vegas solar power system that's turned on makes the state and country a cleaner and healthier place.

In Las Vegas, every 25kW solar system installed produces about 3,660kWh of electricity monthly, which equates to nearly 44,000 kWh in a year. In greenhouse gas emissions, this equates to offsetting the greenhouse gas emissions of seven passenger cars each year and a passenger car driven about 80,200 miles annually.

Greenhouse gases, which include carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane, are produced from burning fossil fuels. Once released, they have a lifespan in the atmosphere that ranges from two or three years to thousands of years. Greenhouses gases contribute significantly to air pollution, and they have been steadily increasing in the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution. Along with causing health problems, they're also responsible for gradually depleting the ozone layer. Within the group of greenhouse gases, about 81% is made of carbon dioxide. In concentrations of 10% or greater, exposure to carbon dioxide can kill humans. The risk of death is higher for infants, elderly citizens, and people who are sick. Carbon that’s released into the atmosphere displaces oxygen, which makes it more difficult to breathe in the surrounding air. The negative health impacts of prolonged or intense carbon exposure range from headaches and fatigue, to breathing problems and death. This is another instance where solar energy Las Vegas makes a big difference. Every 25kW Las Vegas solar power system offsets carbon dioxide emissions from about 3,700 gallons of gasoline, more than 35,000 pounds of burning coal, and roughly 75 barrels of oil used each year.

With over 2,000 MW of solar energy currently active in the state, you can see how much of a positive difference the cumulative total of Las Vegas solar power makes. Along with directly benefiting the local population, a key benefit of solar systems installed in the Western United States is that wind generally moves from west to east, which means that cleaner air produced by solar in the region brings health benefits to all.