Summary reader response and analysis draft 3
University of Minnesota Duluth's article ''Solar Power: A Feasible Future'' (Thomas, 2017) talks about what are solar panels and what are they made up of.
According to Nathan Thomas, a solar panel consists of numerous small cells known as photovoltaic cells (PV cells) "linked together make up a solar panel" (Dhar, Harvey, 2022). These cells are made up of "a top layer of metal conductor strips" "a layer of antireflective coating" and "two silicon layers and a metal backing" (Thomas, 2017). Silicon are semiconductors which are an in between of proper conductors like metals and insulators such as rubbers and may not conduct electricity at room temperatures, only when heated up (Thomas, 2017).
Photovoltaic cells ''converts sunlight to electricity''(Thomas, 2017) "by allowing photons, or particles of light, to knock electrons free from atoms, generating a flow of electricity" (Dhar, Harvey, 2022). The positively charged (p-type) semiconductors lack electrons while the negatively charged (n-type) semiconductors have extra electrons that move over to the p-type to fill the lack of electrons knock one of these donated electrons free, leaving a new hole for another electron to fill its place (Thomas, 2017). Sunlight also known as photons "knock one of these donated electrons free, leaving a new hole for another electron to fill its place"(Thomas, 2017). With these happening millions of times per second, the "electrons that are knocked loose get directed into a path" which creates electric currents (Thomas, 2017).
Solar-powered energy production is actually a very viable form of renewable electrical energy production as compared to other well-known forms of renewable electrical energy production, hydro-powered and wind-powered. This is because the post-construction drawbacks on the surrounding environment are negligible and they are also way more versatile in cities and densely populated locations.
Solar panels “do not produce air pollution or greenhouse gases when operating” (U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2022, para 1). The replacement and decrease in reliance on other forms of “energy sources” including renewable forms results into additional positive impacts on the environment (U.S. Energy Information Administration, 2022). The largest risk associated with hydroelectric energy production is the need for “a running water source” to be dammed which shuts out aquatic animals from returning to their breeding ground (Giaquinto, n.d.). Statistics have shown that ”wild salmon numbers in the Pacific Northwest’s Columbia River basin are down some 85 percent since the big dams went in there a half century ago” (Davenport, 2012) and a “2018 study predicted that fish stocks on Asia’s Mekong River could drop by 40% as a result of dam projects” (Diehn, 2020). The dammed rivers also “lack the natural transport of sediment” (Davenport, 2012) and the “downstream land becomes less fertile and riverbeds can become deeper or even erode away” (Diehn, 2020). The direct impact windmills have on surrounding wildlife include extended exposure to noise pollution (Kukreja, n.d.). As the blades spin, it creates noise levels around “50-60 dB(A) at a distance of 40 meters” (Impacts of Wind-Energy, 2007, Noise levels sect, para. 1), a similar level to an average conversation (Impacts of Wind-Energy, 2007). Animals that depend heavily on audio cues can be affected in many aspects of their lives such as hunting, mating calls or simply just getting around (Kukreja, n.d.). Flight-based animals can also crash into these blades, due to the blade size and heft, taking its life (Kukreja, n.d.).
When accounting versatility into renewable forms of energy production, it is very difficult to compete with solar panels. Solar panels vary in huge shapes and sizes, thus allowing them to be placed in a lot of areas especially space constrained cities. Taking sunny Singapore as an example, the presence of many buildings allows solar panels to be placed on top of these buildings which helps reduce the load on the main power grid. The “real estate agency ERA launched its Asia-Pacific headquarters” in Singapore with “278 solar panels installed on its roof to supply 30 per cent of its energy usage” and this shows how versatile and effective solar panels can be. Solar panels can also be placed on water “such as the one at Tengeh Reservoir which spans 45 football fields” (Lim, 2022). Compared to dams which can only be built on rivers that have significant flow rates and windmills which are big and can only be built in open spaces where wind power only becomes effective, solar panels becomes a much more viable option for renewable energy. It is also worth noting that although solar panels work best in “direct sunlight”, they can still “use direct or indirect sunlight to generate power”(Solar Energy Industries Association, n.d.).
Despite solar power looking as a stronger potential candidate than its alternative renewable energy generation counterparts, solar panels have its major flaws and can pose a great threat to the environment itself. Solar panels are of very “low efficiency” (Sawrey, 2022) and when located in an ideal spot and top-notch equipment, only generates a poor “22% conversion rate” (Sawrey, 2022). Production of solar panels generate toxic waste, starting from mining which creates land and air pollution due to the burning of fossil fuels to refining of materials which can cause water pollution as well. “1 ton of coal to manufacture every residential PV array” (Sawrey, 2022) where the average “residential solar panel is typically around 5.5 feet long and just over 3 feet wide” (Matasci, 2022). Afterwards, in the actual production of these panels, mainly Asian countries where solar panels are produced, the toxic wastes generated are thoughtlessly discarded into the environment Graham Sawrey, 2022) and the compounds found in solar panels are especially toxic including cadmium and lead just to name a few (Sawrey, 2022).
In conclusion, despite the drawbacks of using solar panels as a form of renewable electrical energy generation, it is still the one that is the most eco-friendly. The pollution caused during the mining, manufacturing and disposal can be strictly regulated to reduce its impact on the environment greatly and the United States have already taken a small step where “manufacturers are required to make sure these high-value substances are recycled rather than tossed in a landfill” (Sawrey, 2022). “It’s also worth repeating that solar energy produces zero emissions after production” (Zagame, 2022).
References
Davenport.M(2012, September 18) “The Downside of Dams: Is the Environmental Price of Hydroelectric Power Too High?” Scientific American
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-do-dams-hurt-rivers/
Dhar.M ,Harvey.A (2022, February 11) "How do solar panels work?" Live Sciencehttps://www.livescience.com/41995-how-do-solar-panels-work.html
Diehn.S (2020, 25 June) “Five ways mega-dams harm the environment” Made for minds.
https://www.dw.com/en/five-ways-mega-dams-harm-the-environment/a-53916579
Giaquinto.R (n.d.) “Advantages and Disadvantages of Hydroelectric Energy” Green Geeks
https://www.greengeeks.com/blog/hydroelectric-energy/
Kukreja.R (n.d.) “Various Pros and Cons of Wind Energy (Wind Power)” Conserve Energy Future
https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/pros-and-cons-of-wind-energy.php
Kukreja.R (n.d.) “Causes and Effects of Noise Pollution on Humans and Animals” Conserve Energy Future
https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/causes-and-effects-of-noise-pollution.php
Lim.YH (2022, May 23) “Solar City: The surprising places you will find solar panels in Singapore” The Straits Times
Matasci.S (2022, June 1) “Solar panel size and weight explained: how big are solar panels?” ππ―π¦π³π¨πΊππ’π¨π¦
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2007. Environmental Impacts of Wind-Energy Projects. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/11935
National Research Council; Division on Earth and Life Studies; Board on Environmental Studies and Toxicology; Committee on Environmental Impacts of Wind-Energy Projects (2007)
“Environmental Impacts of Wind-Energy Projects” National Academies
https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/11935/chapter/6#158
Sawrey.G (2022, September 27) “10 Disadvantages Of Solar Energy & Cons Of Solar Panels” ECAVO
https://ecavo.com/solar-energy-disadvantages/#pollution
Solar Panel Industries Association (n.d.) What happens to solar panels when it’s cloudy or raining
Thomas.N (2017, October 6) "Solar Power: A Feasible Future" University of Minnesota Duluthhttps://conservancy.umn.edu/bitstream/handle/11299/213630/SolarPower_AFeasibleFuture.pdf?sequence=1
Zagame.K (2022, July 14) “The Environmental Impact of Solar Panels” EcoWatch
https://www.ecowatch.com/solar-environmental-impacts.html
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