Assessing the Role of Photovoltaic Energy in Mitigating CO₂ Emissions: A Comparative Analysis of Fossil Fuels and Solar PV

The urgent need to reduce carbon dioxide (<tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">CO₂</tex>) emissions in the energy sector necessitates a transformation from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources. This study compares <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">CO₂</tex> output rates from diesel, gas, and coal-fired power generation to those of a solar photovoltaic (PV) system. Real-world data from a factory-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) system is analyzed to assess its environmental benefits. The results show that solar PV systems significantly lower <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">CO₂</tex> emissions, confirming their potential contribution to achieving sustainable energy objectives. In this study, 1112.05 tons, 883.1 tons, and 654.15 tons of carbon dioxide gas are emitted yearly, and on average 95.397 tons, 73.592 tons, and 54.512 tons monthly to the environment if it is a coal, diesel, and natural gas power plant, respectively, for the same power production in a year. Due to the sustainable renewable energy, a significant amount of <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">CO₂</tex> is mitigated by the solar power plant. This research highlights the importance of transitioning to renewable energy in achieving the world's climate objectives, particularly in regions that heavily rely on fossil fuels.