Pollution From Solar Panel Production

Using solar energy can have a positive indirect effect on the environment when solar energy replaces or reduces the use of other energy sources that have larger effects on the environment.

Pollution from solar panel production.

However some toxic materials and chemicals are used to make the photovoltaic pv cells that convert sunlight into electricity. We might even get the technology behind how they work. Most estimates of life cycle emissions for photovoltaic systems are between 0 07 and 0 18 pounds of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt hour. They also contain lead cadmium and other toxic even carcinogenic chemicals that cannot be removed without breaking apart the entire panel.

The growing concern over solar panel pollution lies mainly within harmful toxins like cadium that can potentially leach into the soil with broken panels that aren t properly discarded and nitrogen trifluoride and sulfur hexafluoride that are associated with the actual production of the panels. We know solar panels as the futuristic looking black or blue rectangles that soak up sunlight and bring down our energy bills. Some of these byproducts include substances such as silicon tetrachloride. But how are solar panels manufactured.

Silicon tetrachloride a byproduct of producing crystalline silicon is also highly toxic. Solar panels generate 300 times more toxic waste per unit of energy than nuclear power plants. Some panels are carelessly dropped in landfills but steps have been taken worldwide to encourage recycling of panels once they break or are decommissioned. Fabricating the panels requires caustic chemicals such as sodium hydroxide and hydrofluoric acid and the process uses water as well as electricity the production of which emits greenhouse gases.

In china the number one country in solar panel production the alarming records of hazardous pollution from silicon manufacturing have started to appear. Silicon tetrachloride is dangerous to humans. Solar panels often contain lead cadmium and other toxic chemicals that cannot be removed without breaking apart the entire panel. Approximately 90 of most pv modules are made up of glass.

However solar panels are not emitting toxins into the atmosphere as they re generating electricity. According to cancer biologist david h. Solar energy systems power plants do not produce air pollution water pollution or greenhouse gases. Throughout the processing of silicon various toxic chemicals are used.

What are the stages to produce these modern marvels in clean energy. While solar panels are considered a form of clean renewable energy the manufacturing process does produce greenhouse gas emissions. Nguyen phd toxic chemicals in solar panels include cadmium telluride copper indium selenide cadmium gallium di selenide copper indium gallium di selenide hexafluoroethane lead and polyvinyl fluoride.