Global solar photovoltaic industry is likely now a net energy producer, Stanford researchers find

[FBaggins]

1. That's deceptive.

It's likely only true (if it's true at all) because such a high percentage of the installed PV base is only a couple years old (or less) and so many of the manufactured units are sitting unsold (and thus non-productive) in inventory somewhere in China. Incredibly rapid growth (particularly in countries with lower solar insolation) threw off the calculation.

It leaves readers with the false impression (spread by opponents of solar power) that solar PV takes many years to pay back the energy that goes into making/installing them (let alone pay back their expense).

They're still comparatively expensive... but not THAT expensive.