Many homeowners are choosing to place solar panels on their roofs. Most people do this for cheaper energy costs and to do their bit to support the planet.
But are solar panels a good thing for the environment? Are there actually some concerns that we should have about solar panels?
Let’s take a balanced look at the pros and cons so that you can decide whether they’re bad for the environment.
Reasons Solar Panels Are Bad for the Environment
The main disadvantages of solar panels relate to their production. It takes a lot of energy to make solar panels and a lot of water.
The irony is that although solar panels reduce our reliance on fossil fuels once they are on your roof, it takes a lot of fossil fuels to make them. That’s because the majority of the electricity used to make them is still generated by burning coal.
Solar panels also rely on rare minerals and metals to function. There is an environmental cost in terms of mining these. This means that solar power is greener, but not totally green.
Toxic Chemicals
One of the main ways that solar panels are bad for the environment is that they use toxic chemicals. These include hydrofluoric acid and sodium hydroxide. Manufacturers have to follow strict regulations so that they do not enter the water system.
Recycling is Difficult
Solar panels are rising in popularity, but they haven’t been around for too long. Because of that, the infrastructure to recycle the various components of solar panels is not there in many places.
However, there are a couple of flipsides to this. One is that they last for a long time – there are still working models in use from the 1970s.
The second is that solar panels contain precious metals. That means that there is a serious incentive for people to recycle them more in the future.
Reasons Solar Panels Are Good for the Environment
It’s true that there are reasons for saying that solar panels are bad for the environment. But this needs to be offset against the ways in which they are good for the environment. One of these is that they provide sustainable energy.
Solar panels are also an affordable source of renewable energy for many homeowners. Although there is an initial cost, these costs have fallen by nearly 70% in the last 7 years. There are also federal and state tax breaks that make them more affordable.
Other advantages of solar energy include the fact that once in place it produces no pollutants. No carbon emissions mean that you are reducing your carbon footprint.
Why Solar Is a Great Choice
It’s true that producing solar panels is bad for the environment. It uses lots of energy to produce them, and very little of this is solar energy. However, they also reduce the number of pollutants you emit in the long term.
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