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Environmental Impacts of Solar Power (PV)
Environmental Impacts of Solar Power (PV)
Environmental Impacts of Solar Power (PV)
IMPACTS OF SOLAR
POWER(PV)
PRESENTED BY: ANKUR JAHAGIRDAR
NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
CONCEPT REPURCUSSION
Production of solar cells 78%
Electricity consumption at production 13.8%
stage
Other stages of product lifecycle 8.2%
The World Nuclear Association estimates the lifetime emissions output of Solar PV to be
70gCO2/KWh.
CARBON EMISSION INTENSITY
The values observed here are paramount to understanding the lifetime emission profile from
solar energy and other energy methods.
Both the emission intensity profile shows solar PV being 3x to 10x more environmentally friendly
over a 30 year life span compared to energy generated from coal.
ENERGY
The metallurgical grade silicon is 99.6% pure after the pre-processing is done.
However, 99.6% is too high for semi-conductor use. So this silicon must go
through a second chemical rich process.
The silicon is mixed with copper and HCl to produce trichlorosilane gas which
is then reduced by hydrogen to silane gas.
This process is very energy intensive and materially wasteful.
Additionally silicon dust present safety dangers and silane gas is highly
explosive.
Cadmium is also a major component in the production of solar panels.
Only half of the cadmium is used in the process and the rest is waste.
Hence the risk of cadmium polluting the water or air from improper disposal exists.
During production of solar panels green house gases like Nitrogen Trifluoride(17,000 GHG
equivalent) and Sodium Hexafluoride(22,800 GHG equivalent)are released into the atmosphere.
POSITIVE SIDE
Toxic chemicals are required during the manufacturing stage, but hazardous
materials are required for almost every type of energy generation.
Coal must be cleaned with chemicals and burned.
Natural gas must be extracted and burned.
Nuclear energy itself requires a highly radioactive material.
Wind turbines use metal which must be mined, and processed too.
RECYCLING
Although solar panel recycling has not become a major issue yet, it will in the
coming decades as solar panels need to be replaced.
Technology does however tend to keep up with demand. The automobile
recycling industry did not begin until the auto industry was well underway.
The same can be said for other recycling industries such as bottle depots,
biofuel, and electronics.
LAND USE