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Most of us know a thing or two about solar energy, its great power and the wonderful benefits that it provides. We also know that it’s free and sustainable. The discovery that the sun is another renewable source that we can utilize to generate our own electricity without leaving any carbon footprint into the atmosphere is such a breakthrough. With everything that’s happening to our world, the last thing we would want to do is inflict even more damage to an already mangled planet. But with all that’s said and written about everything solar, only a few have mentioned about solar energy pollution and how it’s becoming a real problem these days. Many will surely ask, “I thought solar is meant to lessen, if not eradicate, pollution?” To be fair, the utilization of solar panels is supposed to be a solution to that problem. The thing is that the people who manufactured these photovoltaic cells realized too late that they don’t really know where to put the old or damaged panels away. Here, we will elaborate how this dilemma can affect us all if we don’t find an effective solution in the next few years to come.
If your question is “does solar energy cause pollution?”, the honest answer is yes. But the truth is, the energy itself is not the culprit. The problem is with the way we generate power from it. It might sound confusing, but let us elaborate on this. In order for us to harness power from the sun, we need a device that can absorb its energy to convert it to electricity. And what device is it? It’s the photovoltaic panels that we install in elevated areas such as the roof or mounting poles. So how is this a problem? The manufacturers of the PV (photovoltaic) cells and all of its parts use toxic chemicals or materials during the manufacturing process. Some of these materials are glass, plastic, lead, cadmium, etc. These materials and chemicals can be harmful if not disposed properly. The usual lifespan of a sun panel is about 20-30 years on average. When it reaches its end of life, most, if not all, end up in landfills along with other rubbish or waste. Broken or damaged panels caused by natural disasters such as tornados or earthquakes can no longer be recycled. As the glass starts to fall apart and disintegrates, its toxic materials get scattered – and this is when the real problem begins. These hazardous chemicals is what actually causes pollution. Toxic waste is not easy to get rid of; until we develop a technology that safely takes it in without causing any other issues, we are left with these impurities and contamination we never meant to create in the first place.
It’s been said over and over again that solar is meant to be something good for Mother Earth. While it is true that the process of using of solar power does not actually emit harmful greenhouse gases that cause air pollution, it still creates an indirect impact to our surroundings. Let us site a few examples of the environmental impacts of solar energy.
• Land utilization – This refers to significant land areas where multiple panels are installed for large scale use. Since the panels require a big amount of space, it is quite possible for it to cause disruption or even damage to local habitat. On the other hand, those which are installed for personal home usage have little to no impact at all.
• Water usage – Conventional solar powering systems do not use water as an additional energy source, but it is for solar thermal power plants. These plants make use a significant amount of water as a cooling system, and this can greatly impact water supply if not utilized properly.
• Hazardous or toxic materials – The manufacturing process of the photovoltaic cells needed to generate power includes the usage of toxic materials. Silicon, which is one of the main components of the panels consist of gallium, cadmium, lead, and a few others. If these materials are not disposed of properly, it can cause some serious damage to the environment and to the people who have been exposed to it.
• Emissions – It has been established that the process of harnessing solar energy through sun panels does not create toxic emissions to the atmosphere, and it is still true to this day. The emissions being referred to here are from when the solar panels have reached the end of their life span.
Are solar panels bad for the environment? To be quite honest, it’s tough to give a hard yes or no to this question. As with everything in life, there are always positive and negative sides to it and going solar is not an exemption to this. Let us cite a few points on how having solar has its ups and downs.
1. Manufacturing process – Initially, it takes a whole lot for energy to produce materials and parts of a solar powering system. The factories have to make use of different facilities and machineries to create a single panel, which means hours and hours of electric consumption, manpower, and labor.
2. Usage of chemicals – Using materials that are of hazardous and toxic nature can cause serious harm, yet it cannot be helped sometimes. These chemicals are necessary in completing the parts of the system. The good thing is that there are manufacturers out there who really care about the environment enough to find ways on how these chemicals can be recycled or discarded properly.
3. Recycling operation – This is one of the major issues solar manufacturers will have to face and ponder on a few years from now. While almost all countries are now using solar systems, not all of them have come up with efficient ways to recycle the solar parts when they expire. If we don’t get this right as soon as possible, solar energy pollution might become a bigger problem we have to deal with.
Going green is what we think as the ultimate solution to counteract global warming and climate change. These two are very serious problems that we must all be concerned about, as it can and will affect everyone in the future. In order to move forward, everyone is expected and encouraged to do our part in helping save the planet. Pollution has always been there ever since, but it doesn’t mean we will have to live with it forever. Solar power is great. Not only can it prevent further wreckage to the atmosphere, it is also an abundant source of energy that’s free and will be available to us for as long as sun rises and sets. How cool is it to be able to create your own energy without exerting too much effort or spending too much? But in order for these solar systems to work, we have to use its power properly and efficiently, this way we can continuously reap the benefits it can bring. And hopefully soon, we can find ways to manage solar wastes to prevent any more issues in the future.
With the recent rise of energy costs and carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere, many people have been looking towards converting to alternative sources of energy. The use of natural renewable energy sources, such as hydropower, biomass, wind turbines, and solar energy is fundamental for life on Earth. Unlike carbon-based sources such as gas, coal, or the anaerobic decomposition of dead organisms, alternative energy sources are eco-friendly, cost-efficient, and low maintenance. Dependent only on inexhaustible sunlight, solar energy is an ecologically, economically, and environmentally efficient alternative energy source that provides electricity harnessed within solar panels. A solar panel is based on the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics or indirectly using concentrated solar power (Nature Education). Through the usage of lenses, mirrors, and tracking systems, it focuses large areas of sunlight into small beams that allow power to flow freely from home to home. Before the discovery of photovoltaic energy in 1839 by the French physicist Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel, or the invention of the light bulb in 1879 by Thomas Edison, humans have always relied on the sun on as their main guiding light source (History of the Light Bulb). Starting in the late 1880s, not too long after the uncovering of solar cells’ potential, coal became a major reliant necessity for homes and factories throughout the United States (Renewable Energy Network).
Public health and environmental safety risks influx to dangerous levels each day from the various methods of coal transportation and the burning of fossil fuels. Transporting fuels from mines, wells, or power plants, can cause air pollution and lead to serious accidents and spills. The utilization of coal, petroleum, fossil fuels, and other harmful substances that aid in nuclear energy accumulates in the air and on Earth’s surface over time. Experimental data collected from the US and USA shows that about 63% of electricity generation is from fossil fuels, 20% from nuclear energy, and 17% from renewable energy sources (Union of Concerned Scientists). Nonrenewable resources, materials that do not replenish themselves at a safe constant rate for sustainable economic use, emit toxins, global warming emissions, and waste products that are hazardous to public health and the environment. With only 17% of renewable sources potentially being used, more government-affiliated organizations are working to help decrease the usage of fossil fuels around the world. Issued by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, both the Clean Water and Air Act were established to regulate pollution released in the environment to restore and maintain the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of the nation's ecosystems (the United States Environmental Protection Agency). World pollution is getting worse and any effort that can reduce the damages being done to the environment helps to save the Earth.
Renewable energy is the solution that will minimize the use of non-renewable resources and mitigate the hazardous effects of global warming and pollution. Installing solar energy does not only have positive effects on the environment it’s also a direct impact on the economy. At the GoGreen Cyber Initiative, they help define the future trend of energy by listing the financial and ozone-friendly benefits and help homeowners take their first steps in the conversion process. From their research in other countries such as Australia, they’ve concluded that over ten thousand people began working in the solar industry in 2018, and this has nearly doubled since then (CyberGear). In rural areas or crowded cities, toxins such as smog and acid rain have become an increasingly concerning problem in places such as New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Arizona, and many more areas across the United States. Solar energy plays an important role in combating air pollution by reducing carbon emissions significantly through solar panels and nondepletable sources. Creating job opportunities whilst eliminating the biohazardous chemicals from further ruining the air and water quality can accelerate the transformation of these regions in less than a year.
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 (United States Information Administration). Solar energy systems power harnessed energy from the sun and transforms it into energy that can be used by consumers. Many homeowners have already begun adopting solar electricity. Large-scale power generation facilities located mainly in the Southwest started offering advantages to thousands of customers who are switching to safer renewable sources but are still conflicted when met with the high demand for fossil fuels due to their affordability and reliability (Kristoff). Every decision we make about the goods and services we buy, sell, or produce has a societal health and economic impact on every community throughout the planet. Going solar is a decision that has an enormous impact in today’s world of climate change and the unpredictability of rising energy costs. David Zeledon, an Executive Officer at the Sunrun organization of Solar Services, informs consumers that turning to alternative energy sources can preserve the environment we are living in and significantly lower our electric bills before the year 2020 (Zeledon). Solar power systems can last twenty to thirty years without major maintenance needed. Since it requires very minimum maintenance cost, if different parts of the world prove that solar energy is sustainable and affordable enough, it would economically beneficial for customers in poorer polluted countries, leading to more popularization in other regions. We need the energy to live our daily lives, but we also need the energy to help others in times of desperate need. As it is harmless to the environment, using this type of renewable source that does not disturb the balance of energy flow in nature will greatly improve the functionality of power on a global level.
Switching to renewable resources such as solar radiation would be beneficial for all life on Earth. Providing the ceaseless supply of energy that fuels nearly every ecosystem on the planet, its economic value provides affordable service for all of its consumers and relatively supports a cleaner outlook for how energy will be utilized in the future. Beyond making our very existence possible, energy from the sun has for decades attracted attention as a clean, renewable alternative to fossil fuels (Shaw). Though at present it supplies only a fraction of global energy, the solar industry is a rapidly expanding component of the renewable energy sector. While debate certainly continues over the demand for fossil fuels, practicality, and performance of industrial-scale solar installations, the technology offers much promise as a sustainable source of energy.
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