Do Solar Panels Require Oil To Make

Pv solar panels operate during peak daytime load periods when oil coal and natural gas fired electricity is at its greatest demand and most expensive.

Do solar panels require oil to make.

In terms of reliable application coal and natural gas have the edge. Solar energy is touted by some as the solution to the world s energy woes. The amount of steel required for wind and solar to replace fossil fuels exceeds the world s capability to produce it for decades. The silicon used to make the vast majority of today s photovoltaic cells is abundant but a silicon based solar cell requires a lot of energy input in its manufacturing process said.

And when it derives from fossil sources generally the electricity is produced from natural gas or coal. That can add up fast and a lot of solar plants are using fuels like coal to generate the energy they need for activities like melting silicon. The only thing they need is a periodic light cleaning to make sure dirt leaves and other debris aren t obstructing the sun s rays. So you could say with a lot of hand waving and generalisation that it takes about two thirds of a barrel of oil to make a pv panel.

Solar panels have little metal edges around the panels. So take 1 5 barrels of oil for a 250 watt solar panel as a worst case. But the process of making the various components requires fossil fuels both for power and for the components themselves. The only time you may need more extensive maintenance is during periods of heavy snowfall or if your panels energy output starts to.

The ultimate way to compare solar energy to fossil fuels is by cost where solar has quickly caught up with its non renewable counterparts. None of this energy has to be created by burning oil or other fossil fuels. Furthermore you have to think about the energy debt involved in acquiring raw materials and converting them into the parts used to make solar panels. All products even products that make energy get made.

Solar panels generally require very little maintenance in order to function. It contains some plastic components which are made out of oil. A solar panel requires energy to make a panel roughly equivalent to the amount of energy it outputs in the first two years of its life. Wind and solar facilities currently require massive quantities of steel and concrete both of which require oil and natural gas in their manufacturing processes.

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