Firstly the extraction of quartz the crystalline form of silicon and of the other materials necessary for the construction of the panels.
Carbon footprint of producing solar panels.
Although the use of solar panels is green many solar panel manufacturing processes are not.
Another benefit is that you will be reducing your carbon footprint.
The carbon footprint of a solar photovoltaic pv panel the average level of greenhouse gas emissions it is responsible for over its lifetime is about 72 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt hour of electricity generated gco2e kwh.
How much do solar panels reduce carbon footprint.
To create a solar panel caustic materials will emit greenhouse gases.
2 4 metric tons of co2 produced by the average uk household s electricity consumption completely switching to using solar panels to produce green electricity instead would be the equivalent of planting more than 9 trees a year.