How Sustainable Is Solar Energy? A Life-Cycle Analysis
On a life-cycle basis, concentrating solar energy emits 38, PV roof solar energy emits 41, and PV utility solar energy emits 48 grams of CO 2 equivalent per kWh of electricity produced. Have a look at the illustration below to see the average life-cycle CO 2 equivalent emissions of different energy sources and how they compare to solar energy.