this post was submitted on 04 Aug 2023
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That’s completely untrue, it takes between 2-4 years depending on the type of solar panel to generate as much energy as was needed to create it. Leaving 26-28 years of free energy given a typical 30 year lifespan.
Check out this fact sheet for specifics: https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy05osti/37322.pdf
Does it include recycling cost? And more importantly, does it include the batteries to store that electricity? Batteries are not clean nor renewable. For example, just look at how cobalt is mined today and how it ruins ecosystem and populations.