this post was submitted on 21 Apr 2025
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Here is the direct comparison, clearly stated once more for emphasis: Solar generates approximately 2 kilograms of inert, recyclable waste per megawatt-hour. Coal generates around 90 kilograms of highly toxic ash per megawatt-hour along with nearly a tonne of CO₂. Gas generates roughly half a tonne of CO₂ per megawatt-hour, along with the attendant methane leakage upstream. By any sensible measure, solar panel waste is trivial by comparison. The ongoing attempt to frame solar waste as a crisis or even an issue is not only misplaced but actively counterproductive, distracting us from the far more urgent issues of climate change and fossil fuel pollution.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 month ago

Interesting. It doesn't take any energy to produce solar panels, and no part of the process of building one produces any waste. Til!