Does solar energy help combat climate change?

Yes, it does. Unlike power plants that burn fossil fuels like coal or gas, photovoltaic panels and solar thermal systems do not emit climate-altering gases that cause the greenhouse effect. Every kilowatt-hour of energy produced thanks to solar panels translates into 530 grams of CO2 that are not emitted into the atmosphere. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), 720 terawatt-hours of photovoltaic energy were produced worldwide in 2019, resulting in a saving of almost 400 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere – on top of the reduced water consumption compared to power plants that rely on fossil fuels. The International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) estimates that, by 2050, solar photovoltaic could reduce CO2 emissions by 4.9 billion metric tons a year, equal to 21% of the target required to meet the climate goals outlined in the Paris Agreement.

Are investments in photovoltaic technology growing?

The installed photovoltaic capacity is growing, and at an ever-faster pace. The International Energy Agency (IEA) has calculated that, at the end of 2019, there was a global installed capacity worldwide equal to 627 GW – a 117 GW increase compared to the previous year, which had already closed at 109 GW above 2017. Looking to the future, the agency’s own projections suggest increases in excess of 100 GW also for the coming years, with the possibility of reaching (in the most optimistic scenario) +150 GW during 2022. Forecasts by IRENA predict a 9% annual growth in the medium-to-long term, until 2050. In 2030, growth is estimated at 270 GW per year and in 2050, more than 370 GW. By the middle of the century, total investment is estimated to reach over 6,000 billion dollars, with an average of 192 billion dollars a year between the 2020s and the 2040s. Finally, also by the year 2050, a quarter of the world’s energy could well derive from solar power, thanks to improvements in the technologies used in photovoltaic cells and solar thermal systems, making the sun the globe’s second most important energy source after wind power.

Does photovoltaic energy help rural economies?

Solar panels have huge potential in projects for rural electrification, as recognized by the UN’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) at the beginning of the century. Thanks to the falling price of panels and huge flexibility in the design of plants, photovoltaic applications are becoming increasingly interesting from an economic point of view, both as an investment and as a system that enables the development of rural areas. By receiving a rent for the use of their land, farmers can benefit from additional revenue streams in addition to those from agriculture and other activities, providing economic stability to agricultural companies when prices of raw materials become unstable. A further successful synergy can be created between photovoltaic and agriculture with so-called agrivoltaic solutions: panels installed directly above crops can provide both shade and a shield from hail and frost, protecting the ecosystem and, at the same time, allowing for the panels’ optimal performance conditions.

Does solar energy create new jobs?

Yes, it creates many. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the photovoltaic industry could be employing 11.7 million people around the world by 2030, and this figure could be in excess of 18 million by the middle of the century. In 2018, the sector employed 3.6 million people in total, with a fivefold increase over the previous 30 years. In the United States alone, solar energy has created well-paid jobs for almost 250,000 people and, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, one of America’s fastest growing professions is that of “solar photovoltaic installer.” With the cost of photovoltaic falling, the demand for solar energy is set to increase and the number of jobs in this sector will continue to grow. According to The Solar Foundation, 25% of US jobs in solar energy will be performed by members of minorities, 25% by women and almost 10% by veterans.

What are the benefits of hosting a photovoltaic plant for the local area?

The presence of a solar plant benefits the local area and its economy both in terms of jobs across the length of the value chain and through the revenue generated and ensured by the various phases of the project: from the initial development to installation, to the regular operation and maintenance of the plants. This enables also a reduction in imported energy. Among the most beneficial prospects is the possibility to develop hybrid plants, in which photovoltaic is combined with other renewable energy sources such as wind and hydroelectric power, or with battery systems for energy storage or facilities for hydrogen production.

Is there enough solar energy for everyone?

The sun’s energy is not only renewable and inexhaustible, but it is also abundant and can be exploited anywhere because it is present also in areas lacking infrastructure and connections, such as isolated, rural areas or remote locations that are difficult to reach. Capturing just 6% of the energy that the sun’s rays send to the Earth’s surface would be sufficient to satisfy humankind’s energy needs; furthermore, outside the atmosphere the quantity of energy available is around ten times greater, reaching a capacity of around 1,377 watts per square meter.

Solar energy depends on weather conditions: is that a problem?

The electricity network already manages variability based on demand from customers, which changes throughout the day and from one day to the next. Solar energy varies in a predictable way due to the alternation between day and night and between the different seasons, as well as in a less regular manner based on weather conditions. Therefore, the latter point only marginally increases the variability of the production side of the electricity system. Most changes in the production of solar energy are balanced by other energy sources or by opposite variations in electricity demand, based on demand response programs. Thanks to sophisticated electronic controls, modern solar plants can ensure the grid has a level of reliability comparable with conventional fossil-fuel power plants. Moreover, advances in energy storage can mitigate the intermittence of renewable energies without having to resort to burning fossil fuels. Finally, for longer timeframes, such as over the course of an entire year, the quantity of solar energy that can be produced is very regular and predictable.

Is solar energy efficient?

The power grid already manages energy variability, as customer demand changes throughout the day. Solar power is predictable and only marginally increases variability on the production side of the power system. In many regions, solar power output increases during the day when demand is higher, especially in the summer. Thanks to sophisticated controls and power electronics, modern solar farms can provide the same or better grid reliability services as conventional power plants. Furthermore, advances in energy storage technology are improving operators’ ability to mitigate the intermittency of renewables without burning fossil fuels

Does photovoltaic energy receive energy incentives?

All forms of energy, including oil, gas, coal, nuclear and renewables, receive or can receive public incentives. On average, fossil fuels have received far more incentives compared to renewable energies. Between 1950 and 2016, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute, 70% of all energy subsidies were assigned to fossil fuels in the form of tax credits and other programs, while only 17% were assigned to green energies. Photovoltaic received just under one fifth of the sum for renewables, equal to a mere 3% of the total.

How long does it take for a solar panel to compensate the emissions of carbon dioxide deriving from its manufacture?

Compared to other energy sources, photovoltaic has very low installation and startup costs. The production of the panels, in any case, determines a certain quantity of emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, and the same is also true for the panels’ end-of-life disposal. Technical and scientific studies have proved that a photovoltaic panel, on average, compensates for its own overall carbon footprint within two years of its activation, and then continues to generate electricity without causing emissions for the two to three decades of its lifetime. It is predicted that the emissions of CO2 will fall even further with technological improvements and the electrification of transportation, and panels constructed in silicon poly-crystalline, monocrystalline or thin film lose very little of their efficiency over the course of their life.

What is the average life span of a solar panel? What happens when it reaches the end of its life?

Our photovoltaic modules have an average useful life of 30 years. Thanks to repowering projects, the useful life of a photovoltaic system can be extended even further, also by replacing the panels with more innovative, cutting-edge solutions. When a plant is deactivated, all of the components are dismantled and the site is returned to its original condition. In order to protect landowners, Enel Green Power lease agreements include deactivation requisites that oblige us to cover the costs of returning the project area to its former state.

Can solar panels be recycled?

Today, up to 90-95% of the component materials of a photovoltaic cell are recyclable. According to researchers from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the next challenge for photovoltaic energy will be to further increase the circularity of its processes in order to avoid running the risk of accumulating 80 million tons of waste by 2025. Enel Green Power is actively committed – in collaboration with industrial groups, universities, manufacturers and suppliers – to developing commercial-scale solutions for the sustainable management of panels’ end of life. Moreover, the company is contributing to leading the efforts to advance solutions that constantly increase the quantity of materials that can be recovered. Finally, at our plants 99% of the materials used during the construction phase are recycled.

How long does it take to recoup the initial investment?

The exact calculation depends on the available incentives, but in any case the time is considerably less than the life of the plant, which is estimated at about a quarter of a century. Depending on the contributions available and the latitude of the installation, which determines the quantity of energy that can be produced, estimates vary from a minimum of three to a maximum of ten years. The initial investment, in any case, is more than recovered, and the cost of each individual cell is getting cheaper and cheaper thanks to new materials and technologies.

How can issues regarding available space be solved for installation?

A photovoltaic plant requires an available surface area exposed to the sun. In many cases, and especially for self-production, the roofs of buildings can be used. A dedicated area is necessary for larger installations, but there are also solutions such as agrivoltaics – which enables the use of the same land also for agricultural purposes – and innovative scenarios in which floating offshore solar installations might be built, similar to existing wind power plants. Another possibility is to install photovoltaic systems in desert areas.

Is photovoltaic convenient?

Solar energy is present everywhere on Earth. It is at its strongest at low latitudes and gradually decreases as you head towards the poles, due to the inclination of the sun’s rays. The transformation of energy into electricity has already reached considerable performance levels: efficiency currently reaches or exceeds 20% and, most importantly, this figure is constantly increasing. Thanks to technological innovations, many goals that seemed unobtainable are now within reach: some experiments have even managed to exceed 50% efficiency. At the same time, the price of cells has been moving in the other direction, becoming more and more affordable. The combination of these two effects means that solar energy is becoming increasingly accessible, available and competitive, also compared to other renewables. In the 2010s, the overall cost of producing one kilowatt-hour of photovoltaic energy was already lower than 10 euros cents, without factoring in the incentives and tax subsidies.

Can solar panels disfigure the landscape?

Not at all. Even when solar panels are visible to the public, they are not considered an eyesore but rather an evolution of the construction style that is normally accepted by the collective sensibility, in view of the benefits they offer for the environment. Furthermore, large installations are not authorized until they pass a number of environmental impact studies carried out by local authorities, to assess effects and impacts – including visual impacts – and plan for any works needed to correct faults.

Do photovoltaic plants have an impact on human health?

No peer-reviewed, medical-scientific study has ever made a connection between solar panels and negative effects on health. On the contrary, the transition to renewable energy that photovoltaic contributes to avoids additional emissions of climate-altering gases and other atmospheric pollutants linked to public health problems, in addition to reducing the water consumption compared to operating fossil-fuel power plants. While in function, solar panels do not emit any substances and do not generate electromagnetic fields that can affect people’s health.

Frequent questions on solar energy

Frequently asked questions about solar energy

In 2019 alone, energy from the sun stopped 400 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions from being released into the atmosphere. By 2050, a quarter of the world’s energy could be derived from solar power. This industry is creating numerous jobs and developing new revenue streams for farmers. Here are all of the answers to your questions about this renewable source – one that is abundant everywhere and inexhaustible.

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Frequently asked questions about solar energy

Frequently asked questions about solar energy

Does solar energy help combat climate change?

Are investments in photovoltaic technology growing?

Does photovoltaic energy help rural economies?

Does solar energy create new jobs?

What are the benefits of hosting a photovoltaic plant for the local area?

Is there enough solar energy for everyone?

Solar energy depends on weather conditions: is that a problem?

Is solar energy efficient?

Does photovoltaic energy receive energy incentives?

How long does it take for a solar panel to compensate the emissions of carbon dioxide deriving from its manufacture?

What is the average life span of a solar panel? What happens when it reaches the end of its life?

Can solar panels be recycled?

How long does it take to recoup the initial investment?

How can issues regarding available space be solved for installation?

Is photovoltaic convenient?

Can solar panels disfigure the landscape?

Do photovoltaic plants have an impact on human health?