'Comparison of the renewable energy plants with fossil fuel plants over their complete life cycles' This discussion is posted here to elicit information regarding the cost of renewable energy, so that there can be enlightened discussion based on available factual information including the uncertainties in these estimates. People who are very enthusiastic about renewable energy claim the cost of Wind, Solar and Phoo Voltaic cells are coming down fast and one day they will compete with enrgy from the fossil fuels. But people with opposite point of view and Climate Sceptics claim that it is untrue. My question is a more basic one. Are there any estimates available for the following. 1. Let us consider a solar energy panel installed on the roof of a house. Within its life time certain amount of energy is generated. How does it compare with the cost of the energy required toproduce that solar panel including Photovotaic cells,Aluminium and the enrgy required to produce that solar panel. Similar estimates for the Wind Energy Plants etc. If the energy required to produce these solar panels is much more than the entire energy produced by the panel in it life time,then the whole purpose is defeated in using these solar panels. Similarly people talk of the Electric Cars.Where does the electricity come from to charge these batteries? If they are coming from fossil fuels to that extent they will produce CO2. I wonder whether any systematic scientific studies done covering these facts. I will be interested in the publications that contain this information. §110.20.77.23 Ramaswami Sastry VedamRamaswami Sastry Vedam (talk) 11:14, 3 April 2016 (UTC)