What is the estimated energy payback period for photovoltaic (PV) systems?
“Energy payback” refers to the relationship between the amount of energy a solar panel produces and the amount of energy that went into its manufacture. On average, the time it takes for a PV system to create the same amount of energy that went into its manufacture is anywhere from two to five years. Because well-made PV systems will operate for two decades or more, they generate far more energy than the amount that goes into making them.
