how much power does it take to produce a solar panel?

  From time to time, I read such a statement somewhere in newspapers,
articles etc.:


   I hate to cut this down but a lot more energy went into producing
   this than it will ever produce itself. I think people are too
   easily tricked into thinking they are doing something good for the
   environment.


Is it true that a solar panel, generally, takes more power to make than
it will ever produce?


--
Tomasz Chmielewski
http://wpkg.org

 

Tomasz Chmielewski wrote:


Depends where it ends up getting sited for one thing. I too would like to
know the true energy 'cost' of making a panel. Every single part of it.

Graham

 Tomasz Chmielewski ha scritto:


it was used to be.
nowadays it isn't so anymore, both with silicon panels and Thin films :)

 wrote:


I often wonder why people ask this question.
You dont for example see people asking whether it takes more energy to
produce a wind turbine or a nuclear power plant or a wave farm than
they will ever produce.
And is the question a sensible one anyway.
Wouldnt a better question be
Does a Solar panel make more energy (measured in todays dollar value)
than it will ever produce (measured in the same dollar value).
try and get a sensible answer to that one.

 

Mauried wrote:


We know it's less. Certainly for the first two, assuming the wind turbine is
sensibly sited.



In dollar value in most places, NEVER.

Graham