Sun power and greenhouse gases

Solar panels are cheaper and more efficient than any time in the past. This has helped spur the growing solar energy revolution. But pollution remains perhaps the greatest single reason to switch to a solar energy generating system..Even low-carbon energy technologies like solar cells and wind power plants have associated greenhouse gas emissions, but those impacts pale in comparison with the emissions eliminated by fossil fuel sources.

The lifecycle emissions for fossil fuel-powered plants equipped with carbon sequestration technologies, for instance, still account for about 100 grams of carbon dioxide-equivalent per kilowatt hour of electricity produced by mid-century — or about 10 times more than the 10 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 safe energy

The complete de-carbonization of the global power sector using these technologies would cause only modest indirect greenhouse gas emissions — and therefore not slow the transformation towards a climate-friendly power system.

This finding refutes an argument made by some critics that even low-carbon sources of energy have “hidden” greenhouse gas emissions — for instance, the energy needed to produce solar panels — that would negate their climate 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.”

In terms of lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions, wind and solar energy provide a better greenhouse gas balance than fossil-based technologies since they don’t require additional energy for production and transport, he said. Solar power is the only sensible way we currently have to mitigate the deleterious effects of pollution.

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

If you want to move into the future and join the solar revolution, or if you want to find out what solar panels are right for you, go to HahaSmart.com and try our price checker tool. See how much a system will save you over the next 20 years. 

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