Greenhouse emissions and solar power

The world is at a crossroad in terms of greenhouse gases. We cannot continue to burn fossil fuels at the rate we are currently without creating massive amounts of pollution. Thousands of deaths have been attributed to the toxic release of pollutants. Renewable energy sources must be utilized to their fullest extent in order to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change. A full decarbonization of the global power sector by scaling up these technologies would induce only modest greenhouse gas emissions and therefore not impede the transformation towards a climate-friendly power system.
"Both fossil and non-fossil power technologies still come with a certain amount of greenhouse gas emissions within their life cycle -- on the one hand because it needs the energy to construct and operate them, on the other hand, because of methane emissions, e.g. from coal and gas production," explains lead author Michaja Pehl. "However, we found there are substantial differences across technologies regarding their greenhouse gas balance. Electricity production from biomass, coal, gas, and hydropower, for instance, induces much higher indirect greenhouse gas emissions than nuclear electricity, or wind and solar-based power supply."

Researchers provide important analysis

Researchers have provided an innovative and comprehensive global analysis of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions -- from all relevant power sector technologies. Their study combines the strengths of simulations based on integrated energy-economy-climate models that gauge cost-optimal long-term strategies to meet climate targets with life cycle assessment approaches. So far, these research branches have operated separately. Exploring the life cycle emissions of future low-carbon supply systems and the implications for technology choices, they found that fossil power plants equipped with CCS will account for life-cycle emissions of around 100 grams of CO2-equivalents per kWh of electricity produced, ten times more than the around ten grams of CO2-equivalents for wind and solar power they project for 2050 in a climate protection scenario in which power production is nearly completely decarbonized. Solar power provides a much better greenhouse gas emissions balance than fossil-based technologies

There has never been a better time to install a solar energy system!

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Please visit our solar blog to find out more about the benefits of going solar.