There are several environmental benefits of solar panels. They produce a lot more energy than it takes to manufacture them. That makes them carbon negative because the power they produce replaces more carbon-intensive sources. They also can reduce pollution at the local level, which helps make the air cleaner. Solar panels may also help reduce water consumption. Fossil fuel power plants consume water, solar power plants don’t.
Energy pay-back time for solar panels
Naturally, it takes energy to make, transport, and install solar systems. But solar panels very quickly produce the amount of energy it took to make them. Currently, solar panels produce all the energy it took to make them in about 0.5 to 1.4 years. Solar systems obviously produce power for much longer than 1.4 years. In fact, a Freedom Forever solar system comes with a 25-year production guarantee. It’s likely that a solar system will last even longer than that. There are some systems that have been producing power for around 40 years. The energy output of a solar panel declines with time. But some of those 40-year-old systems are still producing around 75% of their original output.
Solar power reduces pollution at the local level
Coal and natural gas power plants produce air and water pollution that is linked to breathing problems, neurological damage, heart attacks, cancer, premature death, and many other serious problems. The effects of pollution caused by fossil fuel power plants are widespread. A Harvard University study estimated that pollution from coal-fired power plants produces $74.6 Billion per year in health-related costs.
Solar panels don’t produce any emissions when they are generating electricity. Because the energy from them replaces dirtier fossil fuel sourced energy, solar panels reduce pollution in areas where fossil-fueled plants shut down.
Solar power cuts water consumption
Another problem with using fossil fuels to generate energy is that it uses a lot of water. According to the US Solar Energy Technologies Office, if solar supplied just 27% of our energy needs, it would save enough water to serve 1.3 million households. That water savings could be especially helpful in drier states. Those states are usually especially good for solar power because they are among the sunniest states in the country.
Freedom Forever is going green!
The environmental benefits of solar power really add up, if we keep their environmental costs down. Freedom Forever recognizes this fact and has committed to going green wherever we can. Since we install solar systems, our going green reduces the amount of waste and carbon pollution produced by our company. It keeps our local community and the Earth a little cleaner. By going solar, you can do your part too.
Some of the things we are doing to go green
- Providing EV car charging stations to employees
- Provide reusable plates and utensils instead of disposable
- Use fuel-efficient and hybrid vehicles whenever possible
- Increase the amount of waste we recycle