Who is watching the solar industry? Who is making sure that solar — a “clean” industry — is actually clean? The fact is that there are toxic byproducts which result from solar cell manufacturing, most notably as a result of the silicon and cadmium telluride used in creating photovoltaic and thin film cells.

As I’ve discussed before, many solar cell producers have voluntary recycling programs to reuse and properly dispose of solar cell waste. Yet, “voluntary” is the operative word there. Doesn’t every industry, including that of renewable energy, require oversight to ensure environmental integrity? Absolutely. History has shown that completely unfettered free markets in an industrial and technological era can be quite dangerous.

One organization, the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition, has initiated the solar watchdog discussion with a report on environmental problems inherent in the life cycle of various solar products. Their idea is to address these issues before the solar industry gets too much bigger.

Fortunately, in sharp contrast to the oil, gas, and coal industries, which are notoriously resistant to environmental oversight, the solar industry generally takes pride in its all-inclusive approach to environmental ethics. Take for an American example First Solar, our largest manufacturer of thin film solar panels, which utilizes cadmium telluride cells. First Solar already has an all-expenses-paid recycling program in place.

On the other hand, watchdogs need to exist to make sure such valuable practices continue simply because the potential for abuse exists. And in today’s deregulated energy industry, that potential is very real. A recent Washington Post article (and SVTC’s report) pointed to a solar plant in China that blatantly dumped silicon tetrachloride — toxic waste from silicon solar cell production — into nearby farmland, killing crops and contaminating air quality.

The China-based example is a tragic one, and one that we must ensure does not occur, even to a lesser degree, here in the United States. Furthermore, American solar companies should not be buying polysilicon from plants with such a damaging record. The fact is, however, that these non-recycling China-based polysilicon plants can sell their product much cheaper than other plants that utilize expensive recycling processes — a sure temptation for companies vying for power in a growing industry.

So while the title of this post is “Who are the solar watchdogs?” the better question might be: Where are the solar watchdogs? I don’t believe anyone wants to inhibit solar industry growth, its universal importance is unchallenged, but it is equally as important to be patient and attentive to environmental and ethical concerns when an industry is still young. It can save big problems later.

Link:

San Francisco Chronicle

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Posted on February 9th in Solar Politics by Dan.