How To Make Solar Panels More Sustainable?

Our sun is the most powerful source of energy and all life on Earth. The sun can create two main forms of energy; light and heat. As a result, humans have been taking advantage of this natural energy by creating electricity with photovoltaic cells.

Solar panels have gained a lot of momentum for the past several years. Most people are looking for cleaner sources of energy that may help reduce the impact of climate change. Thus, they tend to go for green energy projects like using portable solar panel.

But you may wonder, will solar power your home like normal electricity? Well, yes. You can continue playing games, placing bets in casinos online, enjoy hot showers, charge batteries, enjoy hot swimming pools, and heat your entire home. Conversely, what we always forget is that the mining and processing of glass, aluminum, and silicon require energy, and it is not clean.

The emissions from processing solar panels depend on the amount of coal-fired electricity needed in the local grid. For instance, according to one study, Chinese solar panel production emits 40% more carbon dioxide than that in Germany. Fortunately, several things can be done to make solar panels more sustainable.

IMAGE: UNSPLASH

Extend The Service Life Of Solar Systems

The average lifespan of solar systems is 25 years. But solar panels can last longer nowadays, especially if a robust glass is added in the back. This is a common thing in photovoltaic cell manufacturing today, unlike what they looked like previously. Therefore, the longer the service life of the solar panels, the lower their CO₂ emissions and the costs.

Can Solar Panels Be Recycled?

Currently, we do not have enough places to recycle solar panels. Besides, there are also not enough outdated solar panels to make recycling them economically eye-catching. One reason for this is that solar panels have a long life span. Some people are still using panels from the 1970s, which are still performing great. This is a problem since, on the one hand, there is an interest in getting ahead and starting to prepare for the old panels, but on the other hand, there is not enough market.

Fortunately, solar panels are very robust, and their defects are rare. If small damages occur, then they can easily be repaired. But to make them sustainable, then we have to consider effective ways to recycle the swelling stream of obsolete panels that may come in the future. Besides, experts still see room for improvement when it comes to recycling high-grade solar glass from older modules.

Taking Control Of Pollutants From Solar Panels

There is no danger lurking from pollutants that might leak from broken or undamaged panels, according to the German EA. Nonetheless, some solar system models contain small quantities of environmentally harmful materials.

Some countries in Europe have regulations that suggest that all discarded modules should be disposed of properly. On the other hand, other countries may not have such regulations yet. Thus, to prevent solar panels from releasing pollutants to the ecosystem and causing rotting in our environment, countries should place a set of rules on proper disposal.

IMAGE: UNSPLASH

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