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THE GLOBAL SMART CITY KNOWLEDGE BASE

Solar panels repaired their fossil fuel debt

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Study finds that five years ago solar panels paid off their fossil fuel consumption from production. Image source: Shutterstock (#72551659)

Solar panels require energy from fossil fuels to make them and transport them before they start producing clean energy. Solar panels carry a fossil fuel debt. At the time the panels have produced more clean energy than is used for producing them, they are debt-free. Solar power has reached the break even point. According to a study from the Netherlands, published in Nature Communications, the solar power produced over the last 40 years has exceeded the energy used to produce them. The break even point was probably five years ago. From that point of time on solar energy has a positive impact according to the researchers.

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