Solar energy is considered a renewable energy – because of how the sun’s energy is always infinite. It is a cleaner alternative as compared to traditional fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and natural gas, since it reduces the greenhouse gases emissions and pollutants by reducing the usage of coal-fired power plants. So how does the sunlight turn into the electricity we use?
Solar photovoltaic technology directly turns the sunlight into electricity and does not cause land, ecological and environmental problems (Qi & Zhang, 2017). Nonetheless, this does not mean that solar energy is completely flawless. During the manufacture of the crystalline silicon, phosphoric acid, hydrofluoric acid, and sodium hydroxide are used during the removal of phosphorus silicon glass (Yu et al. 2008). These chemicals, however, may produce organic wastewater residuals that remain in the sewage systems which results in wastewater pollution (Qi & Zhang, 2017).
Besides creating wastewater pollution, the production of polysilicon (part of the materials needed for solar panels) may produce numerous toxic chemicals (silicon tetrachloride) and by leaving silicon tetrachloride exposed in damp air would form silicate and hydrogen chloride (Hill, 2012). Hydrogen chloride may end up forming a strong hydrochloric acid, which is highly corrosive in nature. For instance, the Mujiaqiao River, near a solar panel production plant, had fluoride concentrations ten times greater than the permitted level, causing danger to human lives and the ecosystem system in 2011 (Yang, Huang & Thompson, 2014).
Additionally, solar panels can also result in light and heat pollution because of the high reflectivity of the photovoltaic glass. The photovoltaic parts can indirectly result in high local temperature at that particular area, creating heat pollution, which may potentially affect the atmosphere as well (Qi & Zhang, 2017). Not only that, Qi and Zhang (2017) also suggested that noise pollution can also occur during the production of photovoltaic glass through the usage of machinery.
Hence, it is important to consider other forms of pollution other than air and water pollution during the use of renewable energies to produce energy. Having said that, solar energy may be a tool to transition to carbon-free society, though it also comes with its problems.
References
Hill, M. K. (2012). Understanding Environmental Pollution. Cambridge University Press.
Qi, L., & Zhang, Y. (2017). Effects of solar photovoltaic technology on the environment in China. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 24(28), pp. 22133-22142.
Yang, H., Huang, X. J. & Thompson, J. R. (2014). Tackle Pollution from Solar Panels. Nature, 509(1), p. 563.
Yu J., Che J.T. & Zhang J. Y. (2008). The Overview of the Technique of Solar Energy Generating Electricity. World Sci-Tech R & D, 30(1), pp. 56-59.