Wind and solar use more energy to build than they produce
NREL and independent lifecycle analyses consistently show wind and solar return many times more energy than was used to build them. The energy payback time for modern solar is 1 to 3 years against a 25 to 30 year operating life.
What we know
The claim that renewables are net energy losers (EROI below 1.0) originated from a flawed 2016 paper by Ferroni and Hopkirk that was subsequently rebutted in detail by NREL researchers who found calculation errors, outdated efficiency data, and non-standard system boundaries.
Reliable lifecycle analyses using standard boundaries consistently find Energy Return on Investment (EROI) values of 9 to 30 for solar PV systems (depending on location and technology) and 20 to 80 or higher for wind turbines. In Switzerland, where solar insolation is below global average, NREL calculated an EROI of 9 to 10 for solar PV even after correcting Ferroni and Hopkirk's errors. Wind turbines in typical locations show EROI values of 50 to 100 - among the highest of any energy technology. By comparison, coal EROI is approximately 6 to 18, oil roughly 10 to 20 in easily accessible deposits.
Energy payback time - how long a system must operate to repay the energy invested in its manufacture - is typically 1 to 2 years for wind and 1 to 3 years for solar PV, against operating lifetimes of 25 to 30 years. The ratio of lifetime energy output to energy input is therefore 10 to 30 for these technologies. The claim that renewables use more energy than they produce is factually incorrect according to every credible lifecycle analysis.
Common claims
- Solar panels use more energy to make than they ever produceFalse - solar PV produces 9-30x more energy than is used to make it
- Wind turbines never pay back their energy costFalse - energy payback is 1-2 years; operating life is 25-30 years
- Renewables have poor energy returns compared to fossil fuelsFalse - wind and solar EROI is comparable to or better than many fossil fuel EROI values