067 Solar: The Good, Bad & Complicated

Описание: Solar energy is often held up as the clean energy solution. But how much do we actually know about how solar panels are made, what battery storage requires, and the trade-offs that come with it?
In this episode of Sustainability Unplugged, we finally give solar the deeper dive it deserves.
We break down:
How solar panels are manufactured — from sand to silicon wafers
How battery storage is made — and what mining lithium really involves
Why solar’s lifetime carbon footprint is dramatically lower than coal and natural gas
The real costs of installing solar (and why it’s still a long-term investment)
The environmental impacts we don’t talk about enough
Solar is renewable. It reduces emissions. It can lower electric bills.
But it’s not impact-free.
This episode isn’t about convincing you to install panels tomorrow. It’s about understanding the full picture — the good, the bad, and the complicated — so we can ask better questions about the future of energy.
Plus, we share a tool you can use to see whether solar might work for your own home
Because sustainability isn’t about choosing the “best” solution—it’s about asking better questions. And if solar is going to play such a big role in our energy future, we think it’s important to understand it beyond the buzzwords.

#SolarEnergy #SolarPower #RenewableEnergy #Podcast #SustainablilityUnplugged

[0:00] Life Updates & Community Events
[7:15] Understanding Solar Energy
[10:57] the Mechanics of Solar Panels
[20:58] Solar Energy Production & Efficiency
[32:53] Environmental Impact of Solar
[39:49] Challenges with Solar
[44:12] Consumerism & It’s Effects on Energy
[48:00] Home Solar Assessments
[47:47] Next Green Thing

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https://sunroof.withgoogle.com/