Solar Energy's Dark Side

Solar energy is a most known form of renewable energy sources. We have been using solar energy from a decade. But the solar industry has developed many products that we are using on every day basis that operates by using solar energy.

As far as we heard, solar, wind, geothermal are natural energy sources. They are also called “clean energy”. But many people believe that in making of solar products, vast amount of fossil fuels are used. They also believe that solar cells contain toxic materials that are not good for the environment, and some parts can not be recycled easily.

That has made some environmentalists worried that these hazardous waste is on it’s way to nation’s landfills, when the panels eventually wear out. Recently, Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition has released a report on this issue. In the report they have warned the industry and lawmakers need to set policies now to ensure it doesn’t leave a dirty legacy.

After the issuance of this report many people raising questions. Sheila Davis, executive director of the San Jose, Calif., nonprofit that pushes for green practices in the technology sector said “You can’t just call your product green and close your eyes to what’s happening in the supply chain”.

1 percent of nation’s electricity is provided by solar energy. But the technology is growing. China is major producer of polycrystalline silicon, a key component of solar cells. Silicon is not the only conductor that is harmful but virtually all materials use hazardous chemicals that pose potential risks to workers and the environment, according to the report.