How solar panels and a home battery can reduce your carbon footprint

A safer and healthier planet starts with us. See how powering your home with solar panels and battery storage can help reduce carbon dioxide, mitigate the global effects of climate change, and promise a brighter future for all.

There’s no question that our planet is changing dramatically. In the face of climate change and devastating natural disasters exacerbated by a global pandemic, we’re here to help work toward a brighter future with solar energy. 

Sunrun is on the front lines of the fight against global warming by helping thousands of American households nationwide run on affordable renewable energy. Using solar power and reducing our use of fossil fuels will not only help offset climate change—it’s also a crucial step toward addressing inequalities among communities that suffer the most from the harmful effects of environmental contamination that stem from carbon dioxide.1     

Realistically, solar panels alone won’t be enough to mitigate the effects of rising global temperatures and greenhouse gas emissions. A cleaner world will require holistic renewable energy production and solutions, like solar panels paired with battery storage, to protect our planet from further air pollution, dangerous carbon emissions, warmer temperatures, and increasingly dangerous weather events due to global warming. By making solar power and storage accessible to all, we can help foster a safer world for our families and generations to come. 

Want to do your part to protect the environment? Learn more about Brightbox™, Sunrun’s holistic home solar battery service. Available for as little as $0 down.

A better planet, by the numbers

To see how much Sunrun solar panels have reduced the country’s carbon emissions, just take a look at the environmental benefits by the numbers. Our 2019 Impact Report shows what’s possible when you partner with a company in the solar industry. Here are a few highlights from the past year:  

• Sunrun has offset 5.2 million metric tons of carbon since 2007. That’s the equivalent of 586 million gallons of gasoline from an average car.

• We’ve deployed 1,987 megawatts of solar since 2007, which makes Sunrun one of the largest solar energy companies in the world.

• A new Sunrun solar energy system is installed every two minutes on average.

• In 2019, Sunrun and GRID Alternatives installed 4.5 megawatts of solar for 917 low-income families. This provided $19 million in lifetime savings and prevented 45,000 tons of GHG emissions in communities that bear the brunt of environmental pollution and health disparities.

Read our full 2019 Impact Report. 

Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGS) impact the planet and our health

The World Health Organization warns that climate change is intensifying humanitarian emergencies like heatwaves, wildfires, and floods, with 3.6 billion people living in highly susceptible areas. Scientists agree that extreme weather events are caused by an increase of greenhouse gas emissions, also known as GHGs, in the atmosphere.2 

The US’s electric grid accounts for 28% of our GHG emissions, which is more than a quarter of the country’s total emissions.3 GHG emissions—the largest source being from burning fossil fuels—have continued to rise to record levels even amidst the economic slowdown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported in 2022 that these emissions have reached an all-time high with no signs of the trend reversing. This rise in emissions is contributing to an increase in climate-related emergencies, which are escalating in scale and frequency.

The environmental impact of greenhouse gases is undeniable, affecting weather, air quality, and health. Gases like carbon dioxide and methane hug the ground and trap heat that would otherwise continue rising to keep our planet cool.4 Heat exposure due to increased temperatures is projected to be the largest health impact of climate change​. 

The human cost of toxic air pollution amounts to 60,000 American lives each year, due to illnesses related to heart disease, respiratory diseases, and even cancer.5 Reducing global emissions, like harnessing solar power, over the next 50 years to meet the Paris Agreement goals could prevent approximately 4.5 million premature deaths, 1.4 million hospitalizations, and 300 million lost workdays in the US alone.

What are the environmental benefits of using solar panels and their battery storage?

When we transition to renewable energy sources like solar power, we can help reverse the devastating effects of GHGs on the environment and air quality. Solar energy is emissions-free and could significantly reduce air pollution caused by greenhouse gases.3 

While solar panels can generate renewable, emissions-free electricity, it’s equally important to know how the electricity from solar energy is distributed. Battery storage reserves solar energy for when you need it most, which ensures that the gains from renewable energy don’t go to waste.

States across the country recognize the benefits of battery storage. For example, Texas is beginning to invest heavily in solar energy storage, and with good reason: studies show that adding energy storage to the grid could cut greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 57%.6,7 In Hawaii, a solar power plant in Kauai with battery storage is expected to save 2.8 million gallons of diesel oil annually and power more than half of the island’s peak nighttime electric load.3 

How using solar panels helps our water sources

Among other environmental benefits, solar energy also presents a more water-efficient alternative to fossil fuels in energy production. Solar panels, especially in arid regions, significantly reduce the need for water in energy generation. For instance, cleaning solar panels for maximum efficiency requires about 20 gallons of water per megawatt-hour (MWh), which is relatively minimal. A typical residential solar system might use around 70 gallons of water annually for this purpose.

In stark contrast, fossil fuel energy production demands considerable water usage. Natural gas power plants, for example, have a water-withdrawal intensity averaging 2,803 gallons per MWh. To illustrate, a 600 MW natural gas power plant could use approximately 14.7 billion gallons of water annually. This high water usage substantially impacts local water resources and ecosystems, particularly in regions where water is scarce.

How air quality is improved by using solar panels

Solar energy installations also improve air quality. Unlike fossil fuel-based power generation, solar energy technologies and power plants do not produce air pollution or greenhouse gases during operation. The impact of solar energy on air quality is further highlighted by the reduction of combustion-based electricity generation. Solar energy development significantly decreases air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions as it replaces traditional energy sources. As we know, this absence or reduction of harmful emissions has plenty of environmental benefits, particularly in reducing air pollution​​.

How solar panels impact wildlife

Solar panels, particularly in solar farms, can positively impact wildlife by providing new or enhanced habitats. Solar panel systems offer structures for shelter, nesting, and perching, beneficial for small mammals, bats, and birds. The conversion of agricultural land to solar farms allows for the recovery of land from intensive farming, which aids the reestablishment of wildflower meadows—crucial for pollinators like bees and butterflies. Solar energy installations also contribute to ecosystem services like air quality improvement and stormwater management.

Solar panel farms often have more types of plants, insects, and birds than regular farm fields. Studies show that the area around solar panel systems can have different amounts of light and moisture—good for many kinds of plants. This variety helps pollinators like bees and butterflies because it means there are flowers for them to feed on for a longer time. Also, when land used for intense farming is turned into grassland under solar panel systems, fewer harmful chemicals are used, which makes the soil healthier.

Increasing blackouts due to extreme weather

Solar power and battery storage will help to mitigate our impact on the environment and our health. Solar panels will also help Americans keep the lights on in the face of an aging electrical grid that can’t hold up to extreme natural disasters and powerful storms.9,5

Unless we act now, by 2050, there will be even more extreme drought, wildfires, floods, and food shortages for hundreds of millions of people due to rising temperatures and sea levels caused by GHG emissions.10 Entire regions face catastrophic consequences from the ongoing changes in our planet’s atmosphere and ecosystem.11

We can make a difference together

Sunrun continues to work on individual, local, and state levels to provide clean energy for all. We recently committed to installing at least 100 megawatts of solar for people who live in low- and moderate-income multifamily developments in California. What’s more, installation of these solar panels will be done at no cost to the tenants. It’s important that everybody has an opportunity to play a part in the country’s transition to renewable energy and in reducing our need for fossil fuels.

Across the US, customers are going solar not only for their own well-being but for the health of their communities as well. Sunrun customer Jim Fleming moved to Arizona after he developed a breathing condition. Retired and on a fixed income, Jim was shocked by Arizona’s high electricity prices. Looking for more predictable rates, Jim went solar with Sunrun. Now Jim and his wife have gained control over their energy, and they can breathe easy knowing that they’re helping to keep their local air cleaner. See Jim’s story. 

Reduce your carbon footprint with Sunrun

Fossil fuels are not renewable. They’re expensive to produce, cause damage to our environment, and are in limited supply.12 In contrast to fossil fuels, energy from the sun is free, sustainable, clean, and renewable. 

Together, we can create a cleaner, safer planet for all to enjoy. Join Sunrun and reduce the need to burn fossil fuels when you install solar panels and battery storage. Every individual or family that converts to solar helps mitigate the effects of climate change in their neighborhood and around the world. 

See why Americans across the country are going solar with Sunrun. Speak to one of our experienced Solar Advisors with a socially distanced virtual consultation and get a complimentary solar quote today.