Full Life Cycle Analysis

If we consider a PV panel – it is constructed from metal, glass, Silicon, Boron, Phosphorus etc in a process that takes a lot of energy – all those raw materials have been mined, processed and/or manufactured. Those materials have been transported using yet more energy, and the PV panel, once made, has been transported as well. Before the PV panel is of benefit to the world, on a global scale, it needs to produce as much energy from sunlight as it took in pure energy terms, to make it in the first place. If you were to buy a solar panel and store it in the dark, in your garage or in a cave, it would be an energy cost to the world, not a benefit. 

A Wind turbine is made from made from a steel pylon usually on a huge concrete pillar on land, or an even more huge concrete foundation or metal pillar if at sea, together with blades often 40m-50m long made fibre-glass composites. Both metal and concrete take a lot of energy to produce. Before the wind turbine is of positive benefit to the world, it needs to produce as much energy as it took to manufacture and install it. Wind farms often require new grid distribution systems to move the power from where it was generated to where it is needed.

Before we count Hydrogen as a “clean” fuel, we need to see how it was produced. If it was produced from steam reformation of Methane, it has already produced CO₂ when it was manufactured. If it was produced from electrolysis, it has already consumed electricity in its production, which may be OK, but only if electricity is produced in a completely CO₂ free manner. Even if we were to consider hydrogen as a storage mechanism, only ~70% of the energy used in hydrolysis is stored in usable hydrogen the rest is wasted. Steam reformation is even worse. Turning hydrogen back into electricity is also much less than 100% efficient.