What is the Carbon Footprint of Solar Panels?

As we mentioned briefly, solar panels are not 100% emission-free. Manufacturing processes and transportation impacts the environment, producing 50g of CO2 per kWh during the panels' early years.

Solar panel production

Solar cells are abundant in materials, such as silver, cobalt, and lithium. Such materials need mining, which not only requires industrial power, but may lead to land destruction and water pollution. Solar panel production uses a lot of electricity, causing further fossil fuel usage.

Solar panels require transportation to customers after the production process. Thankfully, there are multiple solar panel manufacturing companies in the UK, reducing transportation mileage. This helps to keep fuel usage to reasonable levels.

Solar panel installation

The installation of solar panel systems also has an environmental impact. Large commercial solar panel sites and residential properties will both require the use of machinery for installation. In some cases, particularly in agricultural sites, solar panels will be installed on open land. This has the potential to disrupt ecosystems.

However, the innovation of solar installations has led to installers finding ways to minimise disruption for wildlife. For example, agrivoltaics allow for the growth of crops and wildlife movement underneath the solar panels.

Solar PV cells require the removal of dust to allow for maximum sunlight absorption. Regular cleaning will have to take place throughout the panels' existence. This will require the use of water.

Solar panel disposal

Unfortunately, solar panels have a finite life cycle, requiring disposal when they're no longer performing as they should. Thankfully, you should get at least 25 years out of them before you need to consider replacements.

Because of the materials they're made up of, solar panels are classed as hazardous waste. Improper disposal can lead to pollution, resulting in a negative impact on the environment.

Because solar panels are a relatively new technology, we're just beginning to witness the negative impact of solar disposal. However, measures are being taken to allow safe recycling of old solar panels. Recycling is a simple process for customers, as installers must remove and recycle old panels for you.

The main issue currently facing solar recycling is the inability to recycle every part of the panel. Dedicated recyclers can recover up to 95% of the materials in the solar cell. Some facilities will only recycle the metal frame and glass.

The environmental downsides to solar panels, mostly in the production phase, are vastly outweighed by benefits. It takes less than a year for your panels to offset the carbon emissions produced during the manufacturing process. Once the panels are installed, they no longer rely on fossil fuels to exist. Instead, the solar panels produce renewable, clean energy from the sun's rays.

A regular household solar system will save between 1.3 and 1.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year. This is almost a quarter of the carbon emissions produced by a single household in a year. Pair your solar panels with another renewable energy source, the heat pump, and you'll cut carbon emissions by 50-75%.

This number can increase dramatically depending on the type of solar panel system. Large-scale commercial systems can save tens of thousands of tonnes of carbon emissions depending on their location.

Over the 25+ year lifespan of a solar panel system, carbon emissions savings for households can reach 39 tonnes.

Solar Energy vs Fossil Fuels

For an accurate view of a solar panel's carbon footprint, compare it with fossil fuels. In case you're unaware, fossil fuels are the energy sources that have powered the world for centuries. The main fossil fuels are coal, natural gas, and oil, which are all carbon-based.

When they are burned for energy use they release carbon. This traps heat in the air and warms the planet.

Solar energy doesn't have this issue as it is a renewable, clean energy source. The electricity it generates comes directly from the sun, rather than from the earth's depleting natural resources. Solar is also far cheaper than fossil fuels, for obvious reasons. The sun's rays are free, while fossil fuel prices are constantly rising, especially when supply struggles to keep up with demand.

Here's how much CO2 fossil fuels release in typical UK households:

• 🛢 Oil: A household relying on oil will produce around 5200kg of CO2 every year

• 💨 Gas: A household relying on oil will produce around 2200kg of CO2 every year

• 🪨 Coal: Coal produced around 7260kg of CO2 a year before it was banned from use in UK households

In contrast to these figures, solar panels don't produce any CO2 once they have been installed. So, apart from the manufacturing process, solar panels are entirely carbon neutral.