How Green Is Solar Panel Production

In 2014 a study found that the carbon footprint of a solar panel produced in china where coal is heavily relied upon for electricity was twice that of a panel produced in europe.

How green is solar panel production. The manufacturing side of solar can be very un green since its energy intensive processes are often powered by fossil fuel based electricity. The struggle to keep photovoltaics green does not end with the production of polysilicon. The carbon footprint of solar panel production varies widely by region of production depending largely on the primary fuel that a region relies on for its energy. All of these factors can help you figure out which solar panels are the greenest.

The svtc said it s leading an effort to develop a first ever sustainability standard for solar panels similar to the u s. Additionally to produce solar panels manufacturers need to handle toxic chemicals. Although the use of solar panels is green many solar panel manufacturing processes are not. 5 hours x 290 watts an example wattage of a premium solar panel 1 450 watts hours or roughly 1 5 kilowatt hours kwh.

So if you live in santa fe new mexico you would generate 6 x 224 watts 1 33 kwh in one day with that one panel. Green building council s leadership in energy and environmental design or. However solar panels are not emitting toxins into the atmosphere as they re generating electricity. Solar panels glimmering in the sun are an icon of all that is green.

Silicon tetra chloride in solar. Solar cell manufacturers purify. It would be great if all solar panel production facilities were powered by well solar power but this isn t always the case. To create a solar panel caustic materials will emit greenhouse gases.

In the case of solar panels some of the characteristics to consider are the materials used in its production and where the materials were sourced assembled and distributed.