Low-tech Magazine

The ugly side of solar panels

New research shows, albeit unintentional, that generating electricity with solar panels can also be a very bad idea.

The manufacture of just 1 square meter of solar panels generates between 7,500 and 31,400 kilograms of greenhouse gases. An average household needs at least 8 square meters of solar panels for electricity generation alone, which boils down to a global warming debt of a whopping 60,000 to 940,000 kilograms of CO2. These numbers equate to 12 to 188 intercontinental flights (see comments). In some cases, producing electricity by solar panels releases more greenhouse gases than producing electricity by gas or even coal. (Picture: Sungazer)

Solar powered cars

If racing cars can drive on solar energy, then why do normal cars still need fossil fuels?

Around 30 cars race 3,000 kilometres across the Australian continent in the “World Solar Challenge”. Solar cars are electric vehicles that generate their own electricity, by means of around 6 m² of solar panels installed on their bodywork, and a series of linked up batteries that serve as a fuel tank. If we want the car to survive in the longer term, it should become slower and lighter again, trimmed to the efficiency of solar panels and batteries. (Picture: Venturi Astrolab)