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leonidasruptoday at 11:59 AM9 repliesview on HN

How many barrels of oil (eq.) are required to manufacture and transport the PV panel?


Replies

muskstinkstoday at 12:07 PM

Its estimated that a PV panel is co2 neutral aver 2 years.

And the great thing is: this is only if the panel was produced with fossil fuels. So due to increase in green energy everywere, this number goes down too and a PV can easily be used for 15 years and after. After that it might just be more economicly to reinvest in a new set of PV panels while the old ones can be sold and used somewere else.

kstenerudtoday at 12:08 PM

The oil payback (in terms of the panel and associated gear) is about 1.5 years, with a 25-30 year lifetime operating window.

This is with today's efficiencies. They are of course improving.

_aavaa_today at 12:07 PM

Less than it takes to manufacture and transports the barrels of oils it replaces.

projektfutoday at 12:15 PM

About 1/10 or so of the output of the panel, e.g. 1 barrel of input energy making and transporting panels saves 10 barrels in fossil fuel energy. That's a rough number assuming a particular mix of oil based energy and no energy cost to procuring the fossil fuels used in the comparison.

guntarstoday at 12:06 PM

If you are curious about it, why don’t you go and find the answer and then let us know too, no?

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jacknewstoday at 12:04 PM

Fewer and fewer, as the whole world electrifies.

Epa095today at 12:12 PM

The usual carbon payback period for solar panels is 1-4 years.

yenephotoday at 12:08 PM

I think (obviously) the OP is implying a net save here.

Fokamultoday at 12:05 PM

That's 3rd world country problem, British people (with salary in top places of Europe) must save money!

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