Pollution from coal-fired power plants that can block sunlight is significantly cutting global solar output, and potentially causing an overestimation of climate progress, according to a new study.
Aerosols — tiny particles released from the burning of fossil fuels as well as natural sources like volcanoes — reduced global solar generation by 5.8% in 2023, researchers from the University of Oxford and University College London said in a study published in Nature Sustainability Friday. That’s equivalent to about 111 terawatt-hours of electricity, which is on par with the annual power generation of 18 medium-sized coal plants.
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