According to Scientific American, the Energy Return on Investment (EROI) of solar panel is equal to 6.
Which make solar panel the wrost renewable enery source, 3 time less productive than wind turbine and 6 - 42 time less productive than water turbines.
If you’ve got an EROI of 1.1:1, you can pump the oil out of the ground and look at it. If you’ve got 1.2:1, you can refine it and look at it. At 1.3:1, you can move it to where you want it and look at it. We looked at the minimum EROI you need to drive a truck, and you need at least 3:1 at the wellhead. Now, if you want to put anything in the truck, like grain, you need to have an EROI of 5:1. And that includes the depreciation for the truck. But if you want to include the depreciation for the truck driver and the oil worker and the farmer, then you’ve got to support the families. And then you need an EROI of 7:1. And if you want education, you need 8:1 or 9:1. And if you want health care, you need 10:1 or 11:1.
-Professor Charles Hall, the father of EROI.
Solar panel are just a scam, a diversion.
The key to keep in mind is the environment impact. The fossil fuels are detrimental when something goes wrong and very costly to clean up. Considering the Deepwater Horizon Disaster has reached almost $62 BILLION, plus the loss of the oil and this number is still rising.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2016/07/14/bp-deepwater-horizon-costs/87087056/
That is not factored in. Plus solar is a passive technology and requires limited maintenance on the utility scale and has no upkeep fuel. So the cost are minimal. Now factor in its ease of installation on rooftops and we utilize space that otherwise is ignored.
Overall the bang is quite significant when taken as a whole. The simple fact that as the world transitions to renewables it is an easy phase in and bridge technology.
Considering sometimes quite great subvention on solar pannel, solar may appears more attractive.
I think renewable energy are a must path in any way, then we should consider environmental attribute such as sunlight time and power and wind time and speed, then check economical and environmental (EROI) impact to wisely choose the best solution.
Diversity is a key.
They are quite attractive. Every solar panel at minimum means less pollution and less fossil fuels. Just like putting insulation around pipes to prevent temperature loss, although as in your diagram solar is only 1 point behind natural gas. Solar provides the incentive of greater deployment and no subsequent fuel in comparison.
The EROI is apparent with solar and has been since the 80's, the difference now being that the cost has gotten so low that it should be deployed everywhere possible! It is the wise choice to utilize the abundant energy that takes little to implement compared to the extraction process, threat from spills, and pollution given forth in the use of fossil fuels.
It is more than diversity, it is protecting quality of life.