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Why Solar Panels Are Not The Future of Sustainable Living
The potential environmental impacts associated with solar power—land use and habitat loss, water use, and the use of hazardous materials in manufacturing—can vary greatly depending on the technology, which includes two broad categories: photovoltaic (PV) solar cells or concentrating solar thermal plants (CSP).
Cost Considerations
The number of solar array panels needed to capture energy for an entire home typically costs tens of thousands of dollars, making the electricity they produce cost substantially more than that provided by conventional power sources.Are Solar Panels Hazardous Waste?
Hazardous waste testing on solar panels in the marketplace has indicated that different varieties of solar panels have different metals present in the semiconductor and solder. Some of these metals, like lead and cadmium, are harmful to human health and the environment at high levels. If these metals are present in high enough quantities in the solar panels, solar panel waste could be a hazardous waste under RCRA.
Although solar energy is touted as a green solution to fossil fuels, when it’s examined closer, and the full ecological impact of manufacturing, placing, and disposing of solar panels is factored in, it leads to some very serious considerations.
Are Solar Panels Bad for the Environment?
When asked, “Are solar panels bad for the environment?” the most honest and correct answer is yes, they can be. Ensuring that the environmental benefits of solar energy outweigh its upfront costs requires using a solar panel system properly for its full operational lifecycle. Errors such as placing solar energy systems where there is little direct sunlight and discarding operational solar panels will lead to negative environmental effects.
Why Is Solar Energy Bad? Disadvantages of Solar Energy
Lack of access to direct sunlight is the most obvious problem among the disadvantages of solar energy. Though photovoltaic systems can absorb indirect sunlight, sunlight that is obscured by clouds, pollution, or heavy dust, indirect sunlight yields far less energy than direct sunlight. Lack of direct sunlight is a greater problem for concentrated solar power, which depends heavily on focusing direct sunlight to generate energy. Solar energy systems cannot efficiently be installed and operated globally. Though solar energy is viable for homes in sunny locations such as California, placing solar energy systems in Alaska or the North Pole would be a colossal waste of resources, energy, and time.
Societal and Environmental Impact of Solar Energy Systems
Solar energy systems also have high upfront costs due to manufacturing and soft costs associated with creating, transporting, and installing components. Photovoltaic systems do not collect energy during nighttime, and solar batteries increase the environmental and financial costs of a solar energy system. Physical space requirements pose challenges for installation in areas with limited land for development, and damage to solar panels can reduce efficiency and pose environmental risks.Environmental Impact on Ecosystem
Focused light from concentrated solar plants can harm wildlife, and land repurposed for solar energy systems can lead to the destruction of habitats. Industrial solar energy systems may increase temperatures and wind speeds, requiring careful consideration of their effects on climate.Carbon Footprint of Solar Panels
Calculating the actual carbon footprint of solar panels requires tracking every aspect of the solar panel’s lifespan. Properly operated panels can have a negative carbon footprint, reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Improper use and premature termination of a solar panel will result in a positive carbon footprint.How Much Power Does a Solar Panel Produce?
To correctly answer “How much power does a solar panel produce?” requires gathering two pieces of data and multiplying them. The output of solar panels varies by manufacturer, quality, and solar cell type, and the amount of direct sunlight a solar panel captures is essential.Solar Panel Cost Breakdown
| Cost Type | Percentage of Solar Panel’s Cost |
|---|---|
| Hardware Costs | 35% |
| Overhead (Administration, profit, etc.) | 21% |
| Sales and Marketing | 18% |
| Supply Chain Expenses | 9% |
| Inspections and Permits | 8% |
| Installation and Related Labor | 7% |
| Sales Tax | 2% |
Photovoltaic System Cost Breakdown
| Type of Photovoltaic System | Cost Per Watt Generated |
|---|---|
| Residential (22 panels) | $2.71 |
| Commercial Rooftop (200 kilowatts) | $1.72 |
| Utility-Scale With Fixed Tilt (Panels remain stationary) (100 Megawatts) | $0.94 |
| Utility-Scale With One-Axis Tracker (Panels are automatically adjusted to absorb more direct sunlight.) (100 Megawatts) | $1.01 |
Why Is Solar Energy Storage Expensive?
Many of the reasons that determine the cost of a solar panel also affect the cost of a solar battery. Such factors include:
- The manufacturer
- The materials used to create the solar battery
- The number of batteries that a solar energy system requires
- Installation costs
- Soft costs such as administration and profit
Price factors that are relatively unique to solar batteries include:
- The solar battery’s storage capacity. Batteries that can store larger amounts of energy cost more.
- The type of current that the solar battery uses. Direct current batteries are cheaper than alternate current batteries. However, direct current batteries may not be compatible with many solar energy systems.
- The additional equipment associated with solar batteries:
- Backup Gateways: Devices that stop the flow of electricity from the solar energy system to the electrical grid during a power outage.
- Critical Loads Panels: Devices that connect to backup gateways and send power only to user-specified appliances and areas.
- Rising cobalt prices. Cobalt is a core component of modern-day solar batteries, and its increased price leads to higher solar energy costs.
As of the end of 2023, a single solar battery can cost from $19000 to $40000.
Why Is Solar Energy Unreliable?
The answer to “Why is solar energy unreliable?” is that solar energy relies primarily on access to direct sunlight as well as moderate temperature ranges. This makes solar energy a bad choice for areas with consistent cloud covers, extreme temperature ranges, and long nights. Photovoltaic systems can capture indirect sunlight, but the energy efficiency from indirect sunlight is far lower than the energy efficiency of direct sunlight. A few overcast days or an occasional dust storm is of little consequence, but long periods of obscured skies can render a photovoltaic system virtually useless.
Personal Actions and Societal Changes
Personal actions such as eating less meat or turning off lights not being actively used are simple actions with no significant drawbacks, but societal changes such as planting trees, purchasing carbon offsets, and switching to renewable energy sources are more complex and carry more consequences, both beneficial and dangerous. Addressing the climate change crisis and lowering the global carbon footprint requires thorough and honest discussions about complicated matters. Solar energy systems need intelligent placement, routine maintenance, and proper disposal to both offset their environmental and financial costs. Once the solar energy system reaches its breakeven points, the remainder of its operational lifecycle reduces the global carbon footprint and provides financial benefits to its operators and to the community.