By the Numbers
Solar panels offset carbon emissions from less renewable energy sources. For example, the average home in New York uses 7,248 kWh of electricity each year. Energy Sage reports that if these homes opted for solar energy, they could eliminate the same carbon emissions that would result from burning over 5,000 pounds of coal. That’s the environmental equivalent of planting more than 30 million square feet of trees!
Cutting Back on Greenhouse Gas
According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, solar panels produce less life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions than conventional fossil fuel energy sources. Greenhouse gases create environmental issues by contributing to rising global ocean temperatures and climate change.
Greenhouse gasses in the U.S. are emitted into the atmosphere at equal rates by transportation and electricity generation, each contributing to 28% of total emissions. Of the types of greenhouse gasses emitted, carbon dioxide takes the lead at a whopping 82% of total emissions, followed by methane at 10%.
Greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation result from the burning of fossil fuels. Solar technology produces clean, emissions-free electricity that is fed directly into the grid, which doesn’t just save money on homeowners’ utility bills, but also helps combat climate change that results from greenhouse gas emissions. In the first half of 2020 alone, solar panels installed in the U.S. generated enough to power more than 16.4 million homes, and offset more than 100 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
Go Solar with Boundless
No effort is too small, and every single home that goes solar makes a difference. When you install a solar system, you reduce the global demand for fossil fuels, limit your personal greenhouse gas emissions and shrink your carbon footprint. If you’re ready to make the switch, or are looking for more information about solar panel technology, contact the team at Boundless today.
