Solar energy is pretty amazing. Its generation is emissions free and it's really cheap. But if something sounds too good to be true there's got to be a catch. Right? You need to make the solar panels that has a carbon footprint but solar panels will constitute over double the tonnage of all of today's global plastic waste. Well that's all sounds like solar energy is not green as a lot of us might think. Is that really true?

First, let's take a look at solar energy's is impact on the climate. Solar panels produce electricity without creating emissions which sounds pretty awesome but it's also not the whole story. Producing them in particular uses lots of energy. Raw materials have to be mined, transported, processed and all this require lots of energy.

Secondly, on an average solar energy emits around 40 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt hour it produces, which is really really low compared to fossil fuels like natural gas or coal. But then again sunpower does emit little bit more carbon dioxide than wind power. So, strictly speaking solar energy isn't completely emissions free but it's already one of the climate friendliest energy sources we have. 

Next up let's take a look at what actually goes into making all these panels. To produce solar cells, you need quite a few chemical substances like silicon tetrachloride, hydrofluoric acid, etc. We have a lot of hazardous chemicals of concern that are used in to make solar panels. Another problem is that depending on the type of solar cells and manufacturer, hazardous materials like lead, cadmium or arsenic can end up in the modules but increasingly they are also alternatives. So, yes the chemicals needed to make solar cells are problematic.

And finally let's take a look at where all these panels go to die. Solar panels last around 30 years often even longer but at some point they reach the end of their life. Where old panels would pile on to the mountains of e-waste, we already struggling to deal with. The good news is that solar panels are recyclable although it's quite expensive and less profitable. But the bad news is that lots of them aren't yet.

So what does all this mean? Yes, solar power is not entirely green but that definitely doesn't mean we should turn our backs on it. It's benefits are too great for that instead we should openly address its problem and figure out how we can fix them.