“Don’t panic,” said Heather Mirletz at the Colorado School of Mines, co-author of a recent paper that challenges some assumptions about what might happen as the current generation of solar panels near retirement age.
He has some encouraging news for anyone who is concerned, or even a little nervous, about how the world will deal with solar panel waste.
The paper, published in the journal PLOS ONE, argues that the panels will last longer than previously estimated, and that solar farm operators should prioritize keeping the panels in the field for as long as possible.
If solar panels can last 40 to 50 years, which is roughly double what used to be a rule of thumb for lifespan, this changes the equation for the timing of their replacement and the amount of waste produced by the energy transition. And such longevity is not much of a stretch, considering that new panels often come with a warranty in the 25-year range, which suggests that they should last much longer than that.
The paper can be read as a counterpoint to some of the estimates in a 2016 report from the International Renewable Energy Agency that has been widely cited (including by me) in discussions of rising demand for solar panel recycling. The report predicts that the United States will have a cumulative total of 7.5 to 10 million metric tons of solar panel waste by 2050.
Since 2016, the pace of solar development has accelerated to the point where old estimates are no longer reliable. Based on this growth, the amount of waste in 2050 will be higher than what IRENA plans.
But that’s not the case, according to Mirletz and his co-authors. Using more recent data on the reliability of solar panels, they estimate that the United States will have a cumulative total of 8 million metric tons of waste in 2050. Considering the increase in assumptions since 2016 about how much solar will be deployed, that’s huge. a decrease in the share of panels that end up having to be recycled. (For perspective, the country produced more than 250 million metric tons of municipal solid waste in 2018, the most recent year available.)
Rather than being recycled, many of the decades-old panels will remain in operation, Mirletz said.
But 2050 is still far away, so let’s talk about what’s happening near now. The paper’s findings also suggest that the wave of solar panel waste will not hit as soon as the researchers thought. Instead of arriving in about 2030, it is more likely to be about 2040. This gives the recycling industry more time to expand their operations and figure out ways to reduce costs.
Mirletz has completed his Ph.D. at the Colorado School of Mines in a program that works with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a few miles away. Co-authors include Silvana Ovaitt, an NREL researcher.
“We try to look at our energy system holistically,” Mirletz said. “It’s not just about generating energy, so we can turn on the lights, but also about making sure that people and systems are installed throughout that supply chain — everything that’s needed to do that, to turn on the lights. — doesn’t harm people.”
He talks about the so-called “circular economy,” which emphasizes the continuous use of materials and tries to reduce those that end up in landfills.
Applying these principles to solar energy, he and his co-authors discovered that there is not much research on the life cycle of solar panels that takes into account recent advances in efficiency and durability of panels.
“We want to push a little bit around this fear, ‘We’re going to have (tens of millions) of metric tons of waste from PV. We’re all going to die,'” he said. “PV” stands for photovoltaic, which is the process of converting sunlight into electricity in solar panels.
He joked about the fear that the detritus will contribute to our mortality, but this reflects the way solar waste is often talked about by opponents of solar projects, and the tone is good for media reporting on it.
The findings are based in part on modeling tools developed by NREL, which use the latest reliability data to improve predictions of how long solar panels will last in the field.
The results show that it may be better to use solar panels in existing arrays for as long as possible rather than replace them when they reach an age that means retirement. That way, the new panels can be used in new projects.
There are some caveats, including that solar technology is constantly changing and improvements in electricity output do not necessarily coincide with gains in durability, said Mirletz. So, such analysis should be done continuously as we move into an era where solar energy is growing rapidly.
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Also, there is disagreement among researchers about how much solar power will need to be built to net-zero carbon emissions, which is a key variable in projecting the amount of waste. This article derived estimates for solar deployment from data in the Solar Futures Study released by the Department of Energy last year. Other estimates are higher or lower.
But in almost every scenario, there will be more solar energy, and it is necessary to know how to take advantage of this resource while also reducing technological waste.
GOP Seizes Voter Hesitation to Attack EVs as Expensive: With the midterm elections just days away, many Republican candidates are disparaging a key component of President Joe Biden’s climate agenda: electric vehicles. Candidates say Democrats’ support for EVs will leave Americans broke, stranded on the streets and even in the dark, as Hope Yen and Matthew Daly report for the Associated Press. Many of these attacks are not true. “There’s still a lot of selling to be done before EVs catch on with the American people,” said Jim Manley, a Democratic strategist and longtime staffer to Senate majority leader Harry Reid.
Biden Administration Selects First Two Zones for Offshore Wind Development in Gulf of Mexico: The US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has selected two areas for offshore wind development in the Gulf of Mexico, marking the start of wind energy development there. By the end of this decade, wind turbines could be operating in a 174,000-acre area south of Lake Charles, Louisiana and a 508,000-acre area near Galveston, Texas, as Tristan Baurick reports for Nola.com. “These two wind energy areas represent an exciting development to have the first offshore wind lease sales in the Gulf of Mexico, where there is a mature industry base and know how to promote energy development on the Outer Continental Shelf,” said Amanda Lefton, bureau. director, in a statement.
State’s Largest Electric Bus Microgrid Opens for Business in Maryland: The transit agency in Montgomery County, Maryland envisions an island of self-sufficient power when the grid goes down and low-cost, self-generated energy when the grid goes up. Brookville’s Smart Energy Bus Depot, which recently opened, uses a combination of electric buses, solar panels, backup batteries and a microgrid control system, as Jeff St. This is at least the third diesel-powered transit bus charging depot in the country, following the Antelope Valley Transit Authority in California and the Vineyard Transit Authority on the Massachusetts island of Martha’s Vineyard.
Global Energy Report Says Pain at the Pump, High Energy Costs Could Create a Silver Lining for Climate and Security: The Global Energy Agency’s flagship World Energy Outlook report says the blame for rising energy prices around the world can be placed on Russia for its invasion. from Ukraine. But the energy crisis led the United States, Europe, China and India to put a new approach to energy that, in the long term, could lead to greater sustainability and stability, including newer energy, as reported by my colleague James Bruggers. ICN. “The response of governments around the world promises to make this a historic and definitive turning point towards a cleaner, cheaper and more secure energy system,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol, in a statement.
Inside Clean Energy is ICN’s weekly newsletter of news and analysis on the energy transition. Send news tips and questions to dan.gearino@insideclimatenews.org.
Dan Gearino
Clean Energy Reporter, Midwest, National Environment Reporting Network
Dan Gearino covers the midwestern United States, part of ICN’s National Environmental Reporting Network. His coverage deals with the business side of the clean energy transition and he writes ICN’s Inside Clean Energy newsletter. He came to ICN in 2018 after a nine-year tenure at The Columbus Dispatch, where he covered the energy business. See the article : Shedding light on perovskite films. Before that, he covered politics and business in Iowa and in New Hampshire. He grew up in Warren County, Iowa, just south of Des Moines, and lives in Columbus, Ohio.
Solar panels do not attract lightning, but they do not go through grounding. Unless your home is the only building for miles and miles around or is at a higher elevation than surrounding structures, light is no more likely to strike your solar home than others.
Why are solar panels wasteful?
PV panels contain toxic materials, such as lead, which can cause environmental pollution, but many of them are disposed of in landfills when they die. It also contains valuable materials that can be reused to make new solar cells, but today this resource is mostly wasted.
Are solar panels not environmentally friendly? Some types of PV cell technology use heavy metals, and these types of cells and PV panels may require special handling when they reach the end of their useful life. Some solar thermal systems use potentially harmful fluids to transfer heat, and leaks of these materials can harm the environment.
What are 3 negatives about solar energy?
Lack of solar energy
- Cost. The initial cost of purchasing a solar system is quite high. …
- Weather-dependent. Although solar energy can still be collected during cloudy and rainy days, the efficiency of the solar system decreases. …
- Solar Energy Storage is Expensive. …
- Uses Lots of Space. …
- Associated with Pollution.
What are 3 pros and 3 cons to solar power?
| Advantages of Solar Power | Cons Solar Energy |
|---|---|
| Reduce or eliminate electricity bills | Solar panels are expensive |
| Reduce your carbon footprint | long payback period |
| Increase the value of your home | Not viable for all roofs or houses |
| Independent energy from the grid | Less savings when electricity costs are low |
What is a negative thing about solar energy?
In general, the disadvantages of solar energy include high cost, low efficiency, space required to install solar panels, unreliability of sun exposure, and high pollution from manufacturing solar panels. Concentrated solar power plants are very expensive to install with very low investment.
What is the biggest negative about the usage of solar panels?
On the other hand, the main disadvantages of solar energy include that it cannot be used for every roof, it is not suitable if you want to move, the upfront cost can be expensive, the savings can be low if your electricity bill is low. , and finding local installers can be difficult.
What is the biggest problem with solar panels?
One of the biggest problems that solar energy technology poses is that energy is only generated when the sun is shining. That means cloudy nights and days can disrupt supplies.
What is the waste product of solar energy?
Solar panel waste can include heavy metals such as silver, lead, arsenic and cadmium which â at certain levels â can be classified as hazardous waste.
What do we do with solar panel waste? Current Solar Disposal/Recycling Options Typically in the United States, solar panels are recycled at general purpose glass recycling facilities, where the glass â and sometimes the metal frame â is recycled, and the remaining components are thrown away or incinerated. .
What happens to wasted solar energy?
Solar panels are currently classified as universal waste and can be collected at more than 400 universal waste handlers in California, where they are then assessed and transported to a disposal, reuse or recycling facility.
What happens solar waste?
Many of these dead panels end up in landfills, even though they contain valuable elements like silicon, silver, and copper. Researchers are now racing to develop chemical technologies that can help disassemble solar cells and remove the precious metals inside.
What happens to the solar energy you don’t use?
This entry was posted in Solar Services on April 15, 2022 by cbsolar. Once your home solar system is up and running, what happens to the excess solar energy you don’t use? The good news is that the extra power is sent to the grid for everyone to use.
What happens to my excess solar energy?
If you generate more solar energy than you use (as will be the case for many customers during the day, especially in the summer) then your system will feed electricity to the grid.
Is solar energy wasteful?
Solar panels consist of photovoltaic (PV) cells that convert sunlight into electricity. When these panels end up in landfills, valuable resources are wasted. And because solar panels contain toxic materials like lead that can leak when they break down, landfills also create new environmental hazards.
Is solar energy harmful to the environment?
Solar energy technologies and power plants do not produce air pollution or greenhouse gases during operation. 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 a greater impact on the environment.
What are 2 disadvantages to the environment of using solar energy?
Negative Environmental Impact of Solar Panels
- Energy Demand – Solar requires a significant amount of energy up front to produce. …
- Chemistry â To produce solar-grade silicon, semiconductor processing usually involves hazardous chemicals. …
- Recycling â What happens when solar panels break down or are deactivated?
Does solar energy damage the environment?
As a renewable power source, solar energy plays an important role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and mitigating climate change, which is important for protecting humans, wildlife, and ecosystems. Solar energy can also improve air quality and reduce water use from energy production.
What is the negative environmental impact of solar?
Although solar is labeled as a clean and alternative source of energy, there are still negative environmental implications that are not commonly discussed. Photovoltaic panel production is linked to carbon emissions, toxic waste, unsustainable mining practices, and habitat loss.
Can solar panels work in the winter?
Even in below-freezing weather, solar panels convert sunlight into electricity. That’s because solar panels absorb energy from our sunlight, not the sun’s heat. In fact, cold climates are actually optimal for solar panel efficiency. As long as sunlight hits the solar panel, it will generate electricity.
Which solar panel works best on a cloudy day? For climates with more cloudy days than clear skies, we recommend solar panels with monocrystalline silicon cells. Other technologies used by solar manufacturers to improve efficiency in cloudy conditions include bifacial panels, half-cut cells, and Passivated Emitter Rear Cell (PERC) technology.
How do solar panels work when there is no sun?
Do solar panels work at night? Solar panels need sunlight to generate electricity for your home, so they don’t generate electricity when it’s dark. So, the simple answer to the question is no. The concept of solar energy works in the middle of the night around a backup battery.
Do solar panels work with Moonlight?
The Electricity Generated by Your Solar Panels at Night is Minimal. Seeing as moonlight is just sunlight reflected off the moon, you’ll be happy to hear that the answer is yes: solar panels technically work with moonlight.
How does solar panels work at night?
Do solar panels work at night? The answer is no, they don’t. As mentioned earlier, solar panels need light â preferably sunlight â to create energy. Although they can generate some energy from other light sources such as street lights and even the moon, the output is very low.
How effective are solar panels on a cloudy day?
Can solar panels work in cloudy weather? Yes, solar panels work on cloudy days â but they are not as effective as on sunny days. Expect them to produce 10-25% of their normal power output, depending on how thick the cloud cover is.
How much power does a 100-watt solar panel produce on a cloudy day?
On a slightly cloudy day, you can expect a 20% reduction in your output, and on a very rainy day, it can be reduced by up to 90%. As a result, you can expect a maximum of 1.2 amps per hour or 6 amp-hours per day under cloudy conditions.
How much energy does a solar panel on a cloudy day produce?
On cloudy days, solar panels can typically produce 10 to 25% of their typical power capacity. This percentage can vary based on the efficiency of the solar panels and the level of cloud coverage.
How much power does a 100-watt solar panel produce in a day?
A 100-watt solar panel will produce an average of between 280-450W per day, depending on where you live. They are smaller than standard rooftop solar panels, which are usually between 300 and 450 W respectively.
What weather is bad for solar panels?
Extreme hot and cold temperatures Solar panels work by absorbing sunlight – not the sun’s heat – and turning it into usable electricity. PV Semiconductors offer more resistance in extreme heat, making them less efficient when the module should be most efficient.
At what temperature do solar panels stop working?
In winter, it is also less likely for solar panels to reach their peak temperature, or peak power. Once their temperature rises above that peak temperature, the performance of solar panels decreases. Research shows that panels start to lose efficiency around 77ºF.
What weather conditions affect solar panels?
Clouds, Rain and Fog Contrary to popular opinion, solar panels still produce electricity on cloudy/rainy days or in foggy weather—it just doesn’t produce as much energy as on sunny, sunny days. On cloudy days, solar panels usually produce about 10% to 30% of their capacity.
Can cold weather damage solar panels?
Solar Cells Like Cold Weather Because solar cells convert sunlight (rather than solar heat) into electricity, cold weather does not affect production. Cooler temperatures can help increase the output of solar cells.
What are three major problems with solar energy?
Lack of solar energy
- Cost. The initial cost of purchasing a solar system is quite high. …
- Weather-dependent. Although solar energy can still be collected during cloudy and rainy days, the efficiency of the solar system decreases. …
- Solar Energy Storage is Expensive. …
- Uses Lots of Space. …
- Associated with Pollution.
What is the biggest problem with solar energy? Intermittency. One of the biggest problems that solar energy technology poses is that energy is only generated when the sun is shining. That means cloudy nights and days can disrupt supplies.