The Rise of Whole-System Accountability

Written by Olivier Sanga

For years, solar photovoltaic (PV) has been widely seen as a straightforward ‘green’ solution. It produces low carbon electricity, supports the UK’s net zero ambitions, and has become more affordable and scalable at pace. At the same time, expectations of what ‘sustainable’ means in practice are rising.

Simply generating clean renewable energy is no longer enough to be ‘green’ or ‘good’ for the climate. Attentions are shifting, and schemes are being challenged to consider materials, supply chains, land use, socio-economic impacts and what happens at the end of a development in a wider move towards whole system accountability.

From Output to Lifecycle Impact

The growing adoption of lifecycle assessment (LCA) has fundamentally reshaped how solar projects are evaluated. Clean electricity generation is no longer the only metric of success, focus has now shifted to the entire value chain, from raw material extraction and energy-intensive manufacturing to transport, installation, and end-of-life management. This holistic approach has identified several critical issues:

• Solar panels carry an upfront carbon footprint, largely driven by manufacturing processes
• Environmental impacts extend beyond carbon, including water use, toxicity, and resource depletion
• The challenge of significant future waste streams.

Solar energy remains highly effective, typically offsetting its carbon footprint within one to four years, but the embedded impacts are no longer overlooked.

Emerging Sustainability Challenges

There are interconnected challenges emerging within the sector:

• Embedded Carbon: manufacturing of PVs is energy-intensive and highly variable by geography. The carbon intensity of a panel is directly linked to where and how it is made. For example, China – which holds over 80% of global solar manufacturing capacity – has coal-heavy electricity grids used for production.
• Resource Dependence: The extraction of key materials such as silicon, silver, and aluminium which are fundamental to panel production have associated ecological and social impacts.
• Waste and Circularity: The International Energy Agency (IEA) expects that solar panel waste will exceed 78 million tonnes by 2050. Recycling systems remain immature, and end-of-life risks are not yet fully addressed.
• Freshwater Use: Production and assembly processes require substantial water usage, which raises concerns of water scarcity, pollution risks and energy consumption.;
• Supply Chain Concentration: Heavy reliance on a limited number of manufacturing hubs introduces economic, geopolitical, and ethical risks into project delivery.
• Land Use and Biodiversity: Large-scale solar developments can place pressure on agricultural land and sensitive ecosystems, making site selection and design increasingly critical.

A More Nuanced Reality

Solar PV still remains essential for reaching the UK’s target of 95% of electricity generation from low-carbon sources by 2030. But the sector is transitioning from a ‘zero impact’ myth to a balanced, evidence led understanding: solar is lower-impact, not no-impact. For organisations designing and delivering solar infrastructure, the implications are immediate and practical.

• Procurement Must Become Strategic: Panel origin, embodied carbon, ethical considerations and regulatory compliance all now influence design choices and risk profiles.
• Whole-Life Carbon Assessment Is Essential: Embodied carbon and lifecycle impacts should increasingly be quantified alongside operational savings.
• Circularity Is a Competitive Advantage: Designing for disassembly, planning for recycling, and engaging in emerging recovery systems will differentiate responsible developers.

Solar energy is becoming more accountable – as scrutiny rightfully intensifies, organisations that lead on transparency, lifecycle performance and ethical procurement will shape the next phase of the energy transition.

Our Sustainability experts can support you in making practical project decisions to help understand, account for and mitigate environmental considerations – from supply-chain due diligence and whole-life carbon assessment to end-of-life strategy and consenting risk management. If you’d like to explore how this applies to your next scheme, come and meet us at All-Energy 2026 in Glasgow.