How do solar panels help the environment?

How important is solar in tackling climate change?

Climate change is an enormously complex process and as a result, the antidote is a pretty complex blend of a lot of factors. We are convinced we will need a range of measures, from widespread adoption of all sorts of renewables through to demand management (ie: all of us using just a bit less energy) and de-carbonisation of our transport sector. In this mix solar will play a pivotal role as it's one of the very few technologies that we can use to produce clean electricity in an urban environment (which is where 40% of our energy is consumed).

Does it take more energy to manufacture and transport solar panels than they themselves generate?

No. But it is a very fair question. Manufacturing and transporting solar panels, like anything really, requires a lot of energy. However, using today's manufacturing processes we have got the amount of energy required down, to get a panel from factory to roof to about the equivalent of 2-3 years worth of that panel's energy generation. So, with expected lifetimes of way over 30 years, solar panels are clearly net energy positive rather than negative. But that doesn't mean we will stop looking at ways to reduce the amount of energy used in manufacturing and transport.

How much will my system benefit the environment?

The answer to this depends on the size and orientation of your system but in rare cases you can produce all of the electricity you consume using solar. The average UK household uses 3-4000 kWh of electrical energy per year. A typical 2 kWp solar installation (which uses roughly 12 m2 of roof) will produce around 1700 kWh of energy per year in the UK. So to cover all of your household's energy requirements you'd need approximately 4-5 kWp of solar modules.

How good is this for the environment?

Unbelievably. If every family generated half their own electricity, we could see up to a 10% drop in UK carbon emissions today. And this wouldn't require one iota of lifestyle change.

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Engensa solar installations, as featured in...