So true. I worked for the largest municipal water and power company in the US (in Commiefornia) an we were mandated by the state to install these beasts at a huge cost. You have only touched the tip of the iceberg on the carbon footprint (another stupid term that means nothing). A brand new electrical transmission line had to be installed through mountainous terrain, along with electrical receiving stations, and facilities to house employees. It goes on and on.

Now for another exercise in stupidity, we have the photo voltaic solar farms in the Mojave desert. Another huge amount of energy expended in the creation of the panels, and the steel structures to hold them, along with the grading (think big dozers), the new electrical transmission lines and receiving stations, etc.

All of this nonsense is sponsored by the Federal Government and the State Government who subsidize the capital costs to construct these monstrosities. Without all the tax breaks (think Electric Vehicles as well) nobody in the right mind would waste their money on these projects. They are huge money losers.