Fossil Fuel Used In Manufacturing Solar Panels

Fossil fuels are more energy dense than solar power.

Fossil fuel used in manufacturing solar panels.

Even more importantly as long as the sun shines there is endless energy to harness. Although manufacturing solar panels utilize fossil fuels the overall gain is greater than using fossil fuels alone because less is needed and all other powering thereafter is done by capturing the sun s energy. To further refine the oil more machinery is needed. Unlike energy from fossil fuels such as oil coal and gas the generation of electricity by so called photovoltaic pv panels does not release planet harming carbon dioxide.

Solar panels have little metal edges around the panels. How is solar energy harnessed. The cost of solar pv is now at 10 per kilowatt hour versus electricity from fossil fuels that typically is between 05 and 17 per kilowatt hour. Another way to compare fossil fuels and solar power is by how much energy can be extracted and stored for electricity.

Fabricating the panels requires caustic chemicals such as sodium hydroxide and hydrofluoric acid and the process uses water as well as electricity the production of which emits greenhouse gases. A new company biosolar aims to kick. Again when solar panels produce electricity they do not release greenhouse gases but the process of manufacturing transportation installation and disposing of solar panels does. In comparison while making equipment for solar systems may involve fossil fuels once the solar system is in place and working there are no emissions.

This polluting cycle is continuous yet fossil fuel abundance is not. Solar energy is a clean energy. Anything made of metal takes lots of energy to make.