User login

Navigation

You are here

Discussion Topic 5: In recent years, millions of solar panels have been placed on roofs around the world. Discuss how safe are t

JOHN BOSCO ALIGANYIRA's picture

Discussion Topic 5: In recent years, millions of solar panels have
been placed on roofs around the world. Discuss how safe are they? Discuss the
hidden pollution caused by solar panels.

There is no energy production technology that can
guarantee 100% safety however  to a
greater extent, solar panels/energy does not cause adverse effects  to the environment being a renewable energy
source. Once manufactured and producing electricity it does not put into the
atmosphere gasses such as Carbon dioxide unlike fossil fuel plants which increase
the risk of global warming. Solar panels produces no noise while in operation
and provided they have access to sunlight, they will generate electricity/heat.

It is important to note that when most people are
assessing the health and safety risks associated with solar energy, they mainly
look at the finished products however there is need to look at the full energy
chain (production process).Different raw materials are used in the manufacture
of solar panels such as steel,aluminium,copper,PVC  and solvents among others and these undergo
various processes which in one way or another release greenhouse gas emissions
such as carbondioxide.Further research and improvements in the full energy
chain is therefore paramount.

Solar panels/collectors concentrate light energy
from the sun (consisting of photons) and convert it into electricity for usage
in people’s homes for lighting and other uses but we all know  that too much exposure to sunlight may lead
to skin cancer and also damage to the eyes and no study on such possible hidden
risks has been carried out.

Solar panels also make use of crystalline silicon
as a raw material thus in my own view, poorly maintained and old panels may release
crystalline silica dust to the environment which is a human carcinogen and may
increase risks of developing lung cancer. Risks of short circuits if not
installed by experienced and qualified personnel  are also possible since solar panels also
produce electric and magnetic fields. Further studies in safety and reliability
of solar panels need to be done.

Regards,

John Bosco Aliganyira

Msc.Oil and Gas Eng.

References:

Association for Applied Solar Energy.; Solar
Energy Society.; International Solar Energy Society. , 1958-

Solar energy conversion the solar cell,Richard C.
Neville , ScienceDirect (Online service) , 1995

Full-energy-chain analysis of greenhouse gas
emissions for solar thermal electric power generation systems by Brian Norton,
Phillip C Eames and Steve N G LoPROBE, centre for Performance Research On the
Built Environment,School of the Built Environment, University of
Ulster,Newtownabbey, BT37 OQB, N Ireland, UK, Volume 15, Issues 1–4,
September–December 1998,

Cleaning up the grid Solar thermal electricity
development in Australia David R. Mills, Anthony Monger and Bill Keepin,1994.

Plant Engineer's Reference Book (Second Edition) Copyright
© 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved Edited by:Eur Ing CEng, MIMechE,
HonFSOE, HonFIPlantE, HonFIIPE ISBN: 978-0-7506-4452-5

http://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/energy/solar-cell1.htm;

http//www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/solar.htm/http://www.ucsusa.org/clean_energy/our-energy-choices/renewable-energy/environmental-impacts-of.html/,

http://www.livestrong.com/article/157701-solar-power-environmental-health-concerns/,

2004 New and Renewable Energy Technologies For
Sustainable Developmentda Graca Carvalho, Maria Hamdia Afgan, Naim

Subscribe to Comments for "Discussion Topic 5: In recent years, millions of solar panels have been placed on roofs around the world. Discuss how safe are t"

Recent comments

More comments

Syndicate

Subscribe to Syndicate
Error | iMechanica

Error

The website encountered an unexpected error. Please try again later.