What are the environmental benefits of PV?
Solar electricity generated at your home or business is a lot friendlier to the environment than the electricity from the grid, which relies primarily on fossil fuels, nuclear, and massive hydro projects. Fossil fuels contribute significantly to many of the environmental problems we face today – greenhouse gases, air pollution, and water and soil contamination – while renewable energy sources contribute very little or no pollution. The use of fossil fuels has significantly increased greenhouse gas emissions creating an enhanced greenhouse effect known as global warming. Renewable energy technologies, however, can produce heat and electricity with a very low or no amount of carbon dioxide emissions. Specifically, each installed kilowatt of PV prevents 15 tons of CO2 over a 30 year period compared to that same electricity generated from coal. People often think of the electricity we use in Washington State as being “green” because it is generated by hydropower. In actuality, only a porti
Solar electricity generated at your home or business is a lot friendlier to the environment than the electricity from the grid, which relies primarily on fossil fuels, nuclear, and massive hydro projects. Fossil fuels contribute significantly to many of the environmental problems we face today – greenhouse gases, air pollution, and water and soil contamination – while renewable energy sources contribute very little or no pollution. The use of fossil fuels has significantly increased greenhouse gas emissions creating an enhanced greenhouse effect known as global warming. Renewable energy technologies, however, can produce heat and electricity with a very low or no amount of carbon dioxide emissions. Specifically, each installed kilowatt of PV prevents 15 tons of CO2 over a 30 year period compared to that same electricity generated from coal. People often think of the electricity we use in Washington State as being “green” because it is generated by hydropower. In actuality, only a porti
