That is just a small portion of production and for solar panels.
Once calculated, it's not so surprising that the researchers choose not to write these figures down.
In the best case scenario, one square meter of solar cells carries a burden of 75 kilograms of CO2. In the worst case scenario, that becomes 314 kilograms of CO2.
With a solar insolation of 1,700 kWh/m²/yr an average household needs 8 to 10 square meters of solar panels, with a solar insolation of 900 kWh/m²/yr this becomes 16 to 20 square meters.
Which means that the total CO2 debt of a solar installation is 600 to 3,140 kilograms of CO2 in sunny places, and 1,200 to 6,280 kilograms of CO2 in less sunny regions.
These numbers equate to 2 to 20 flights Brussels-Lissabon (up and down, per passenger) -
source CO2 emissions Boeing 747.
http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2008/03/the-ugly-side-o.html
