Life cycle assessment: Does photovoltaics really protect against climate change? | Capital+
© A. Scholz / Picture Alliance
by Rolf-Herbert Peters
3 minsIt's often said that photovoltaic systems for roofs and fields are a blessing for the environment and nature because they only provide clean electricity. Is this true? New studies provide the answer.
Photovoltaics (PV), there seems to be a consensus, is one of the most climate-friendly sources of electricity in the world. For this reason alone, both private individuals and businesses are pumping more and more money into it. Around five million systems are currently in operation nationwide. Jürgen Gramm, a Stern reader and owner of a rooftop PV system himself, has doubts about its sustainability. Due to the aluminum roof installation alone, the production of which consumes a lot of energy, PV electricity can never be "clean." Furthermore, the production process involves people and machines that themselves produce CO₂. Is power plant operator Gramm right? What problematic substances are actually involved in PV?
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