Is it correct that solar power has a negative energy balance?
One of the most obstinate prejudices against photovoltaics is that the expense for the production of a solar power system is greater that the yield it could ever deliver. Various eco-balances substantiate the opposite view. Depending on the quality of the silicon cells, a solar system generates the amount of energy required for its production in approx. 1.5 to max. 6 years (source: Technical University of Berlin). Given a minimum service life of solar cells of 20 to 25 years (as guaranteed by manufacturers), this means an unequivocally positive energy balance.
