Solar energy and greenhouse emanations

Pollution is a huge problem on a global scale, requiring prompt action. The most effective and quickest method to reverse climate change is to install solar panels on your home. This will allow you to create your own power and you may even be able to sell any excess power back to your utility company or distribute it to your neighbors. Solar panels are cheaper and more efficient than any time before. This has helped spur the growing solar energy revolution. But pollution endures as perhaps the greatest single reason to transition to a solar energy generating system. Even low-carbon energy technologies like solar cells and wind power plants have greenhouse gas discharges, but those impacts pale in comparison with the emissions emitted by fossil fuel sources.

The lifecycle emissions for fossil fuel-powered plants outfitted with carbon sequestration technologies, for example, still account for about 100 grams of carbon dioxide-equivalent per kilowatt hour of electricity generated by mid-century — or about ten times more than the ten grams of CO2 equivalents for wind and solar power.

“Due to technological innovation, less and less energy will be needed to produce wind turbines and solar photovoltaic systems.”

— Edgar Hertwich, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies

Solar power leading the way to a cleaner energy future

The complete de-carbonization of the global power system using these technologies would create only modest greenhouse gas emissions — and therefore not diminish the transformation towards a climate-friendly power system. This finding contradicts an argument made by some critics that even low-carbon sources of energy have “hidden” greenhouse emissions — for example, the energy needed to produce solar panels — that would negate their “green” benefits.

“Often, people object to low-carbon energy systems pointing to the energy needed to produce all the solar cells and wind power plants,” said Edgar Hertwich, a professor of industrial ecology at F&ES and co-author of the study. “But due to technological innovation, less and less energy will be needed to produce wind turbines and solar photovoltaic systems.”

Wind and solar energy render a better greenhouse gas balance than fossil-based technologies since they don’t need additional energy for production and transport, he said. Solar power is the only practical way we currently have to mitigate the deleterious impacts of pollution. If we continue to burn fossil fuels at this rate, we will continue to see new sorts of extreme weather.

There has never been a better time to install a solar energy system! Many people are fighting the commercialization of the energy business by transitioning to solar power. The Trump administration is doing everything it can to reward the fossil fuel, coal, and nuclear industries at the expense of the health of the planet and every living thing. Many citizens are appalled at this policy and will vote to replace those who hold these Neanderthal attitudes toward our earth. But it is not enough any longer. We need to adopt clean energy policies now, according to the latest climate reports. Since man has not heeded the warnings of climate scientists, we are in a more dangerous position than ever before. We have fallen fall short of our climate goals and the constant reluctance of major powers to cooperate in the energy revolution hurts everyone. Do we want American cities to have the smog of Beijing? If we re-elect Mr. Trump, Los Angeles could return to the days of the seventies where you could drive into the valley and not even be able to see the skyscrapers. Trump's incredibly ignorant plan to repeal clean air legislation is just one more reason to get on the solar bandwagon.

Solar power is here to stay for many good reasons.

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

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