Once installed, solar panels are a zero-carbon source of energy. When
solar panels are producing electricity, the grid becomes less reliant on
fossil fuel burning power plants. Each kilowatt of solar panels saves
about ten tons of carbon dioxide from being released. This carbon
offset is the equivalent annually to planting 50 mature tropical trees.
Although fossil fuels are used during the production and installation
of solar panels, studies have shown that the carbon payback for first
generation solar panels is less than three years. Because the panels
will last for at least 25 years you will then get 22 years of carbon
free energy production.