What happens
to solar panels
at the end
of their life ?
This is a problem
that will explode
in two or three decades,
and significantly hurt
the environment.
There will be a
huge amount
of solar panel
waste.
Solar panels
are difficult
to recycle.
Pollutants such as lead
or carcinogenic cadmium
can be washed out
of the fragments
of broken solar modules
over several months,
by rainwater.
The International
Renewable Energy Agency
( IRENA )
in 2016 estimated there was
about 250,000 metric tonnes
of solar panel waste
in the world at the
end of that year.
IRENA projected the amount
could reach 78 million metric
tonnes by 2050.
Solar panels
often contain
lead, cadmium,
and other
toxic chemicals.
The toxins
can't be removed
without breaking
apart the entire panel,
which is about
90% glass.
But the glass usually
can't be recycled as
float glass, due to
impurities, including
plastics, lead, cadmium
and antimony.
The Electric Power Research
Institute (EPRI) concluded
that solar panel “disposal
in regular landfills [is]
not recommended
in case modules break
and toxic materials leach
into the soil”
and so
“disposal is
potentially
a major issue.”
California is in the process
of determining how to divert
solar panels from landfills,
which is where they
currently go, at the end
of their life.
Last year California's
Department of Toxic
Substances Control
(DTSC)
admitted how difficult
it would be to determine
whether a solar panel
being removed would be
classified as hazardous
waste, or not.
The fact that cadmium
can be washed out
of solar modules
by rainwater is the
biggest concern.
Solar developers,
Sustainable
Power Group,
and sPower,
claim the cadmium
in their solar panels
is not water soluble.
But Stuttgart, Germany
research scientists found
cadmium from solar panels
“can be almost completely
washed out...over a period
of several months
... by rainwater.”
In Fawn Lake, Virginia,
a 6,350 acre solar farm
to partly power Microsoft
data centers is being
proposed.
“We estimate there are
100,000 pounds
of cadmium
contained in the
1.8 million panels,”
said Sean Fogarty,
of a concerned
citizen's group.
“Leaching from broken panels
damaged during natural events
— hail storms, tornadoes,
hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.
— and at decommissioning
is a big concern.”
A 2015 tornado broke 200,000
solar modules at a southern
California solar farm called
"Desert Sunlight".
These were cadmium-based
modules that failed hazardous
waste tests, so should have
been treated at a hazardous
waste facility.
But more than two thirds
of them were actually sent
to an ordinary recycling
facility.
Puerto Rico's second largest
solar farm is responsible for
40% of the island’s solar energy,
Last September, Hurricane Maria
broke a majority of its panels.
Today recycling costs more
than the economic value
of the materials recovered,
so most solar panels
end up in landfills.
Low demand for
the small amount
of metal scrap,
and the high cost
of workers needed
to disassemble
the aluminum frames,
make it difficult
to make a profit
recycling.
Last July, Washington
became the first U.S. state
to require manufacturers
selling solar panels
to have a recycling plan.
But the legislature did not
require manufacturers
to pay a disposal fee.
“Washington-based solar panel
manufacturer Itek Energy
assisted with the bill’s writing,”
noted Solar Power World.
Recycling costs
of solar modules,
is not likely to
be sustainable,
by most of the
manufacturers.
Since 2016,
Sungevity,
Beamreach,
Verengo Solar,
SunEdison,
Yingli Green
Energy,
Solar World,
and Suniva
have gone
bankrupt.
That leaves
governments
to take the lead.
The first step is a fee
on solar panel purchases
to cover the cost of safely
removing, recycling or
storing solar panel waste.
That would ensure the cost
is not passed on to future
taxpayers.
Keep your fingers crossed
that governments don't
collect a disposal fee,
amd then spend it on
something else.