Solar panels , here are some interesting facts that you won't hear !!!

[The big package]

CDTe solar panels are extremely hazardous . They include cadmium gallium arsenide . GaAs solar panels have arsenic . Older panels usually have chromium coatings and the newer thinner panels have copper and selenium . Solar panels in general have 300 times more toxic waste per unit of energy then does a nuclear power plant . The general average life span of a solar panel is 5 to 7 years . If everyone goes to solar panels and they have to be changed after 5 to 7 years , you are going to have more dangerous chemicals like arsenic etc. seep into the ground which would create a much more of a dangerous situation than drilling for oil . Bottom line : solar panels are laced with dangerous toxic chemicals . Something that I have no interest in sticking on my roof as well as trying to figure out how to get rid of them without dangering the environment !!!

 

[wilberforce15]

The economics just make no sense.

 

[zubenelgenubi]

They don't make sense for centralized power generation. They can make sense in limited applications. All those dangerous chemicals came out of the ground to begin with. All it takes is a market for the materials available in used solar panels, and they'll never get buried. If you are afraid to have them on your roof, don't go up there and lick them, and you'll be ok.

 

[One day at a time]

They don't make sense for centralized power generation. They can make sense in limited applications. All those dangerous chemicals came out of the ground to begin with. All it takes is a market for the materials available in used solar panels, and they'll never get buried. If you are afraid to have them on your roof, don't go up there and lick them, and you'll be ok.

They are known to cause cancer only in the freak sate of California.

 

[Wally]

Ugly as heck in the front of any home.

 

[UnionStrong]

Ugly as heck in the front of any home.

They go on the roof

 

[Up In Smoke]

We used a government subsidy to place them on the roofs of some of our storage units about 15 years ago. We haven't had any issues and make a pretty good dime selling the power back to the electric company. Took about 6-7 years to pay off our portion of the cost and the rest has been pure profit (less taxes).

 

[Wally]

They go on the roof

Yep and they are ugly on the front.

 

[Wally]

We used a government subsidy to place them on the roofs of some of our storage units about 15 years ago. We haven't had any issues and make a pretty good dime selling the power back to the electric company. Took about 6-7 years to pay off our portion of the cost and the rest has been pure profit (less taxes).

I always wonder if something like a fresnel lens or reflectors could increase output?

 

[UnionStrong]

Yep and they are ugly on the front.

Depends on where you live. In AZ every other house has them. Ugly or not, they save a lot of money. Many get a check from the electric company at the end of the year too, $400-800

 

[Wally]

Depends on where you live. In AZ every other house has them. Ugly or not, they save a lot of money. Many get a check from the electric company at the end of the year too, $400-800

In my state you are limited on what you can sell back to the power company.

 

[oldngray]

In my state you are limited on what you can sell back to the power company.

You can make a little money but the system is rigged in favor of the power company.

 

[zubenelgenubi]

They are known to cause cancer only in the freak sate of California.

And they want more of them. Weird.

 

[zubenelgenubi]

I always wonder if something like a fresnel lens or reflectors could increase output?

It could, but heat is always the limiting factor. Put a cooling system on them, use that to heat your water, decrease total usage, increase output. This should be standard. I think a lenses that can focus sunlight onto the same spot regardless of angle would be a big improvement.

 

[Babagounj]

In my state you are limited on what you can sell back to the power company.

They wanted to do that at the local school but couldn't.
Something about overloading the local power grid.

 

[vantexan]

Depends on where you live. In AZ every other house has them. Ugly or not, they save a lot of money. Many get a check from the electric company at the end of the year too, $400-800

And in AZ you can run swamp coolers instead of AC.

 

[oldngray]

In my state you are limited on what you can sell back to the power company.

You pay retail price for electricity coming from the power company but only get wholesale price when you sell it back.

 

[zubenelgenubi]

You pay retail price for electricity coming from the power company but only get wholesale price when you sell it back.

We pay around 15 cents per KW. At that rate, it would take a long time for a solar array to pay for itself.

 

[burrheadd]

And in AZ you can run swamp coolers instead of AC.

Why only Arizona
I’ve seen them on trailer houses all over the southwest

 

[newolddude]

CDTe solar panels are extremely hazardous . They include cadmium gallium arsenide . GaAs solar panels have arsenic . Older panels usually have chromium coatings and the newer thinner panels have copper and selenium . Solar panels in general have 300 times more toxic waste per unit of energy then does a nuclear power plant . The general average life span of a solar panel is 5 to 7 years . If everyone goes to solar panels and they have to be changed after 5 to 7 years , you are going to have more dangerous chemicals like arsenic etc. seep into the ground which would create a much more of a dangerous situation than drilling for oil . Bottom line : solar panels are laced with dangerous toxic chemicals . Something that I have no interest in sticking on my roof as well as trying to figure out how to get rid of them without dangering the environment !!!

So what's your answer? Let's burn more coal?