Coal can be used for solar container

A 2023 MIT study revealed that 35-40% of a solar panel's carbon debt comes from coal used in upstream manufacturing. That's like driving a Tesla charged from a diesel generator! China's solar manufacturing hub in Xinjiang produces 45% of global polysilicon using local coal . Why is it that solar panel manufacturing is impossible without coal? I always thought that coal is “only” important for electricity, contributing to 36% of global power demand, or over 8h of 24h every single day of the year. An innovative approach gaining traction is the conversion of decommissioned coal mines into solar energy farms. Retired coal power plants provide a ready opportunity for redevelopment into clean energy infrastructure, including new solar and storage projects.