Sustainable energy and solar

The obvious effects of climate change are motivating the intense growth of solar power technologies. Solar energy is considered a sustainable energy technology.  However, the production technology 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.

The constituents of solar

A solar panel system typically consists of concrete, aluminum and steel. During the manufacturing process 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 in place but it has been proven that making solar panels from recycled components requires 1/3 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 environmental 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 discharged into drains. But it’s critical to stress that the benefits of solar energy to the environment when compared with energy produced from coal or natural gas displace the negative impacts of the solar panel production phase.

Solar panels pave the way to a cleaner energy future

Over the course of their lifetime, crystalline silicon solar panels generate 8-16 times the energy required to produce standard panels. Depending on the type of photovoltaic (PV) technology, the clean energy payback 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.

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

If you want to move into the future and join the solar revolution, or if you want to find out what solar panels are right for you, go to HahaSmart.com and try our price checker tool. You can see how much a system will cost, and how much you can save over the next 20 years.

For more information relating to going solar, don't forget to visit our solar blog section for more handy guides and articles.