solar panel silicon valley

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Knee-jerk reactions will always be around and can be found in many different settings: from on a large scale political level where they’re used as scare tactics and propaganda in our daily life while cruising the Internet. One thing that seems to be stirring the pot of finger-pointers is the report, “Toward a Just and Sustainable Solar Energy Industry”, which was released this month by the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition. In it, the SVTC urges solar panel manufacture and disposal companies to adapt sustainable practices before we face another environmentally unsafe situation such as the current electronics industry is facing with its millions of tons of waste lying in landfills, unclaimed and unclean.

While we can all agree that it’s impossible to get something for nothing – especially when it comes to energy – some of us are quicker than others to pull the plug before getting the facts straight.

The Dark Side

Large amounts of fossil fuel are used in the production of solar cells, and waste metals such as mercury and chromium that don’t end up being used in solar panel production already offer a predictable disposal problem. With the average life span of a solar panel currently sitting at 25 years, there also presents the threat of an influx of waste all at once at the end of these panels lives. The installation of solar panels requires toxic materials like PVC and glues used in the wiring system, which also poses a real problem that’s hazardous both to the environment and humans. Disposal problems are already mounting in such areas as Asia, where standards are lax compared to North American ones.

The Sunny Side

While many would like to paint it as such, the report by the SVTC is not a damaging one. In fact, it is clear that the environmental benefits of using solar energy far outweigh the negative effects, and that solar is a burgeoning industry still in its infancy. The report serves as an eye-opener to the solar industry to take stock of its practices and their environmental effects before it’s too late, and urges that thought be given to responsible waste disposal and environmentally sound manufacturing processes. Some solar companies have even already begun to invest in recycling programs so people can return their old solar panels, and the U.S. company, First Solar Inc., has devised a plan to take back all solar panels from their commercial customers once the panels have expired. The report also suggests that solar manufacturers encourage high quality jobs within the industry that protect workers’ health and safety as well as provide livable wages throughout the world.

In the end, the amount of energy used in the creation of solar cells and panels is heavily outweighed by the amount of energy produced by them, and the time it takes to pay back the energy used is very short. A solar panel is actually very recyclable, with its two main components being tempered glass and aluminum, two highly sought-after materials. Even the silicon is reusable. As well, the potential problems are being recognized early on in the solar game, which means there’s still time to turn unsafe practices into healthy, green and long-lasting ones.

About the Author:

Cooler Planet is a leading solar resource for connecting consumers and commercial entities with local solar Installers. Cooler Planet’s solar energy resource page contains articles and tools such as our solar calculator to help with your solar project.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The Two Sides of Solar

MICROSOFT INSTALLS SILICON VALLEYS BIGGEST SOLAR PANEL SYSTEM.: An article from: Industrial Environment $5.95 This digital document is an article from Industrial Environment, published by Worldwide Videotex on June 1, 2006. The length of the article is 780 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.Citation DetailsTitle: MI…

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