Solar panels use solar cells made from purified silicon. The purified silicon is produced using carbon and heat from a electric arc. The silicon smelting plant will release CO resulting in 5 to 6 tons of CO2 per ton of purified silicon. The first step needs millions of tons of coal, coke, charcoal and wood chips. Even more fossil fuels are burned to generate electricity to produce the solar cells.
The solar industry produces megatons of CO and CO2. The industry will OMIT the enormous amount of raw materials in the smelting process which hides the vast amount of fossil fuels and the deforestation necessary to make solar panels. The only renewables are from the forests. The media claim solar will replace fossil fuels but they do not address the forests. Any attempt to replace conventional electric production will require a vast increase in the use of coal, coke, charcoal and wood chips. Not to mention the millions of tons of rare minerals mined with WATER and ACIDS.
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