L R AS Published on Tuesday 7 June 2022 - n° 407 - Categories:industry
The environmental impact of panel production
German panel manufacturer Solarwatt wanted to compare the environmental impact of panel production with that of the electricity industry.
On average, it takes 12,000 kWh for one tonne of silicon to extract the raw materials, process them and assemble them.
In addition to government regulations, the impact of the manufacture of solar panels is essentially linked to a country's electricity mix. These include particulate emissions, depletion of energy resources, human toxicity, acidification, eutrophication, and so on.Among the 16 indicators analysed in the study, China generates the greatest environmental impact. Manufacturers based in Europe are subject to strict environmental regulations that enable them to better control this carbon impact during the manufacturing process.
Panels manufactured in Germany and Europe, which are transported to France by lorry, emit lessCO2 than Asian products, which have to travel thousands of kilometres by cargo ship. However, European production cannot yet do without shipping the materials extracted in Asia, as well as certain electronic components.
Even with a 30-year guarantee, good-quality, well-maintained solar panels can operate even longer. This longevity allows them to produce much more energy than they consume. Finally, when they are no longer in use, photovoltaic panels can be recycled up to 95%:
? The aluminium frame and glass are infinitely recyclable.
? Crystalline silicon can be recycled up to 4 times.
? Metal connections (silver and copper) are reusable.
? Only the plastic film is not recyclable, but it can be converted into solid recovered fuel.
Tecsol of 2 June 2022
Editor's note The study is a little light. It tries a little too hard to make assertions rather than present indisputable figures: to say that the production of chips, cells and panels depends on the energy mix of the producing country is quite inadequate. Just like the importance of maritime transport compared with road transport. If Solarwatt wanted to draw attention to its seriousness, it has failed.
