Although the technology to capture photovoltaic (PV) energy and turn it into electricity was invented in the 1950s, solar panels have yet to take over from calculators. It takes a lot of space to power more complex technology, which means solar panels can’t produce as much as needed to meet our growing electricity needs. However, a recent study published in Nature Sustainability links coal-fired power plants to the reduced performance of solar panels, showing that solar power could be more efficient if it didn’t use fossil fuels.
One of the reasons why coal plants make solar power less efficient is pretty obvious. Air pollution blocks sunlight, meaning solar panels capture less of it, leading to reduced electricity production. Another impact on solar power generation is that aerosols produced by burning coal impact reflectivity and cloud cover.
The scientists studied the energy production of more than 140,000 solar installations between 2017 and 2023 and connected coal-fired plants to the energy production of existing solar installations, reduced by an amount equivalent to almost a third of the production of the new systems. In 2023 alone, aerosols have reduced solar energy production by 5.8% overall. As a result, current projections likely overestimate the amount of solar energy that can contribute to climate-friendly energy goals, particularly in places where the rate of photovoltaic loss is increasing.
Coal’s impact on solar power is another reason to reduce fossil fuel use
This study clearly shows that, unsurprisingly, burning fossil fuels makes the transition to clean energy even more difficult. Burning coal means more air pollution, and the dirtier the air becomes, the less we will use solar energy. Photovoltaic losses are lower in countries like the United States and Europe, but the rate is increasing every year.
China, the world leader in photovoltaic energy, is currently losing the most energy, but it is also the only place where the rate of photovoltaic loss is decreasing. This can be attributed to the fact that China has implemented measures to reduce its air pollution since 2013, significantly improving the country’s air quality in the years since. However, these policies may also have accelerated global warming. Solar energy blocking aerosols can be harmful to photovoltaic production, but they help cool the Earth by reflecting solar radiation. Additionally, even though the country has cleaned up its air, China is still responsible for more than half of all coal consumption.
The phasing out of fossil fuels in favor of clean, renewable energy sources is an essential part of the fight against climate change and its increasingly devastating impact on the environment. Photovoltaic loss isn’t the only challenge facing solar power – uneven availability of sunlight and the inability of birds to tell the difference between solar farms and lakes also need to be addressed – but it’s another example of how continuing to burn coal makes it harder to combat the real problem.
