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Critics of solar power often point to the technology’s reliance on heavy metals and carbon intensive glass production. The argument is valid in pointing out the paradox of environmental advocates complete embrace of solar. There has been far less ink spilled on the effects of toxic metals being mined for panels, and the devastating environmental pollution that occurs when the panels are retired, than is warranted. In nature as in society, there is no free lunch.
As solar power technology continues to become more affordable to consumers, then cost continues to climb for the environment. Often a blind or ignorant eye is turned from this reality, but there is a company working to combat the current condition. SolarCycle, currently operating in Texas and Arizona, has developed a proprietary method of recycling panels that allows them to extract 95% of the “value” from retired panels.
SolarCycle’s technological progress is now taking big steps forward with a new partnership signed with Qcells, a leading solar company based in Georgia. SolarCycle will begin manufacturing the crystalline glass from recycled panels, to make new solar panels at a new facility in Georgia as a result of this partnership. This is to be the first (can you believe it?) solar glass manufacturing in the US. This glass will be sold to US based solar companies, closing a critical loop in the massive CO2 intensive practice of transporting this heavy material to and from Asia. It also means that there is an alternative to sending defunct panels back to impoverished communities in Asia to by picked through by hand, where the toxic metals poison the people and groundwater.
The plant is scheduled to be operational by 2026. Biden administration officials are claiming this advancement as their success, due to the $1.5 million SolarCycle R&D received from the “Inflation Reduction Act*”. We hope that is not entirely the reason for current success, as it has not been so long since the federal government invested hundreds of millions into companies like Solyndra, which was unable to run a sustainable business without ongoing government subsidies.
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*The “Inflation Reduction Act” did not reduce inflation.
Image credit: SolarCycle.us
Awin
Greg is a part time writer for Off Grid Power Boom.