Cutting Trees For Solar Panels

In the foreground is a copse of trees which could be cut down to make space for solar panels.

Cutting trees for solar panels.

Companies like six flags are cutting down trees to make room for solar panels and missing part of the point of environmentalism. Trinity episcopal church in stoughton is surrounded by woodland. A mature tree absorbs carbon dioxide co2 at a rate of 48 pounds a year. Although we can calculate the amount of greenhouse gases offset by solar panels other things just can t be quantified like the sustenance and comfort that trees provide.

I expect most of us would think twice before truly cutting down 50 trees but you get the general point. If you are considering cutting down fewer than 50 trees to get the most out of a 7 500 watt solar electric system don t feel guilty. Robin lubbock wbur for the. The trend is particularly pronounced in the western part of the state where some residents and environmentalists are worried the demand for cleaner energy is destroying some of their beloved forests.

Ironically maximizing those solar benefits may involve cutting down a tree or two. On a net environmental basis you are doing the right thing. That s a tough question. Fifty is what the numbers say.

6 thoughts on should you cut down trees to improve solar panel performance. It s a difficult truth but solar power and trees do not always get along. Let s do the math here. Removing trees to get more exposure to solar panels is actually very environmentally friendly.

The state department of energy resources estimates that approximately 2 500 acres of trees equal to the size of 50 boston commons have been cut down to put up solar panels in the last 10 to 15 years. Tim yaotome october 23 2018 at 3 49 am as i do agree that a tree s leaves and branches will block out the sun s path towards the solar panels a rather important reason to have a tree removed is whether the tree will fall down on the panel during tornados strong winds or hurricanes. Sometimes solar can involve painful tradeoffs. That s what s been happening in massachusetts.

One of the only instances where cutting down trees can be environmentally friendly is if trees were being removed to maximize solar panel exposure.