Myth:
Clearing trees to build solar farms negates the impact of those solar farms on emissions. You’d be better off not cutting the trees down at all.
Fact:
Felling trees does have a negative impact on emissions, but that impact is minor compared with the emissions that are saved though the installation of new solar panels. In fact, the ratio is over 200 to one, meaning that for every tonne of carbon emitted by felling the trees, 200 tonnes are saved by increasing solar capacity.
Besides, more than 99 percent of global deforestation has nothing to do with the construction of solar farms or wind turbines. It’s done for purposes of mining, logging, agriculture and the expansion of towns and cities.
Deforestation like this in the Amazon is being done mainly to make way for agriculture. [Source: Flickr]
Sources:
“Is clearing trees for solar panels negating climate change benefits?” Skeptical Science. https://skepticalscience.com/is-clearing-trees-for-solar-panels-negating-climate-change-benefits.htm
“Doesn’t Clearing Trees for Solar Farms Negate Any Climate Change Benefits?” Advanced Power Alliance, 17/11/24. https://poweralliance.org/2024/11/17/doesnt-clearing-trees-for-solar-farms-negate-any-climate-change-benefits/