well it's probably several different kinds of pollution, not directly comparable
mining and transporting coal and burning it would release different kinds of pollution (mining biproducts, CO2)
than getting the materials and manufacturing photovoltaic cells (which I think are silicone?)
in terms of carbon emissions I would guess that solar cells have probably paid off the cost already
also carbon emissions cause way more health issues globally from people inhaling the fumes, and this avoids all of those issues
TheRealOvenCake t1_ivv0mu7 wrote
Reply to comment by XenthorX in Through solar power, India saved burning 19.4 million tonnes of coal in the first half of this year: Report by starwolf_98
well it's probably several different kinds of pollution, not directly comparable
mining and transporting coal and burning it would release different kinds of pollution (mining biproducts, CO2)
than getting the materials and manufacturing photovoltaic cells (which I think are silicone?)
in terms of carbon emissions I would guess that solar cells have probably paid off the cost already also carbon emissions cause way more health issues globally from people inhaling the fumes, and this avoids all of those issues