When considering going solar there is a lot more than just the financial benefits that accompany your panel system. There are environmental benefits as well that come with solar energy. It’s a source of energy production that does not create carbon dioxide (CO2) and thus by converting your household to solar you are reducing the need for CO2 energy, therefore reducing the amount of CO2 used. Further, while manufacturing the systems do require CO2 output, solar systems end up significantly reducing net C02 usage, especially over time.
Trees
Solar energy systems can have the same effect on the environment as planting trees. However, maximizing those solar benefits for your home and the environment may involve cutting down a few trees. Although at first glance it may seem counterintuitive, branches and leaves can block sunlight from hitting your roof, which translates to your solar panels not maximizing their production.
Often times and fortunately, homeowners can get away with simply trimming back the branches of trees that are in the way instead of a full removal. Sometimes it is necessary to remove a tree completely but still the net benefits of removing trees to install solar can be huge.
The Math
On average one tree stores 0.5 tons of carbon dioxide over its lifespan. Creating a solar energy system produces 10 tons of CO2. Solar panels generate at least 6,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity per year for 20-25 years, resulting in 150,000 kWh of emission-free electricity or 103 metric tons of CO2 eliminated over the total life of the panel. If we subtract the carbon dioxide cost of manufacturing we get a net benefit of 93 tons of CO2 saved. This converts to 186 trees planted!
