A recent study reveals an aspect about solar energy we never expected or thought possible – it contributes to climate change.
The study, published Monday in the Journal Nature Climate Change, found that solar panels tend to cause regional cooling when converting sunlight into electricity and increase urban area temperatures when said electricity transforms into heat.
Researchers conducted climate model sensitivity experiments to look at the effects of solar panels placed in various regions.
Large solar installations affect global and regional climate by taking solar radiation and distributing it in a different manner than natural processes. In turn, the farms change local radiation balance, “resulting in changes in atmospheric circulation.”
Aside from the study results, the production of solar panels has its own negative environmental impacts.
Various chemicals, including sodium hydroxide and hydrofluoric acid, are used in panel production, emitting greenhouse gases and creating waste.
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