Volunteers and trainees of CREST pose for a photo opportunity after successfully installing a solar panel in this file photo. CREST is part of the 10 Million Rooftop Campaign launched to push for the shift to renewable energy through solar rooftops.
In Texas, a hailstorm with ice the size of golf balls on March 15 this year destroyed thousands of solar panels at the 350-MW Fighting Jays Solar Farm in Fort Bend County, Texas, raising environmental concerns, particularly about potential leaking chemicals to local outlets. The Department of Energy has listed 49 companies that install solar panels, but more DOE “unregistered” or “unaccredited” companies offer solar panel installation.
Gerry Arances, Executive Director at CEED, a Manila-based think tank, warned that environmental catastrophes such as drought, sea level rise, and storms are already being experienced in the Philippines, making climate change actions, adaptation and mitigation, and strengthening resiliency, more imperative.
“When you alter natural processes—it will be devastating for nature—even in the excessive production of solar panels, batteries, and inverters,” he said. The net-metering rules and interconnection standards that enable on-grid end-users to install a solar rooftop are expected to further boost the market with the regulatory framework in place.
Meanwhile, the frames of solar panels are usually made of aluminum. The frames are essential as they provide structural support to solar panels, maintain their shape and integrity, and prevent bending, warping, or sagging due to the weight of the solar panels, or factors like strong wind and heavy rainfall. The wire used to connect to the electrical system or battery is the usual copper wire.
One comforting observation: the volume of e-waste and hazardous waste on solar is not yet as significant as that of other consumer electronic waste. Still, it is critical that as early as now, the DENR, DOE, and other agencies should also start to develop a program to prevent this from becoming a problem in the future.
She said silicon wafers can be used for integrated circuits but might need more purification and single-crystal processing, for it to be reusable. Fortunately, she noted that PV systems, including the frames and brackets used to secure solar panels, should be constructed robustly to withstand strong winds and prevent panels from being dislodged. Regular maintenance of PV panels is also essential to ensure efficient energy production and to meet their standard life cycle of 20 to 25 years.