Sustainable energy and solar

Globally, man is burning fossil fuels at an alarming rate, causing the earth and the seas to warm. The catastrophic effects of climate change are motivating the intense growth of solar power technologies. Solar energy is considered a sustainable energy technology.  However, the production for solar modules (which are used to convert energy into power) requires relatively high energy outputs. The most notable negative environmental impacts of solar energy originate from manufacturing the solar panels. Production of these panels uses substantial amounts of energy and produces wastewater and hazardous by-products which are released into the air during the manufacturing process. But this is dramatically better than fossil fuel generation.

What is a solar panel made from?

A solar panel system normally consists of concrete, aluminum, and steel. During the manufacturing of solar panels, heavy metal emissions such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and lead are produced. Recycling technologies for reusing silicon from the solar cells are not yet commercially available but it has been proven that making solar panels from recycled components requires a third of the energy than producing panels from scratch. Research and development plans are in place to recover key materials such as silicon glass, EVA foil and aluminum from existing panels which can be recycled and used to make new panels.

Controlling pollution during solar panel manufacturing

One way to combat the detrimental effects of producing the panels is new. Hazardous by-products and air pollutants are passed through pollution control equipment and wastewater is treated before being dumped into drains. But it’s critical to stress that the benefits of solar energy when compared with energy produced from coal or natural gas displace the negative impacts of the solar panel production phase. 

Solar panels are the wave of the future

Over the course of their lifetime, crystalline silicon solar panels generate 8-16 times the power required to produce standard panels. Depending on the type of photovoltaic (PV) technology, the payback period of a PV system ranges from one to five years. Replacing electrical power from the national grid mix with electricity generated by solar panels results in an 89 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Solar energy is the only intelligent energy choice we currently have because we require renewable energy sources with unlimited power that do not continue to harm the earth and its inhabitants.

There has never been a better time to install a solar energy system!

Solar power is here to stay, and the sooner you explore how much you can save, the sooner you can enjoy the benefits of residential solar power. Go to HahaSmart.com and try our price checker tool. It tells you how much solar power you need, and how much you can save.

Please visit our solar blog to find out more about the benefits of going solar.