Solar power creeps into the music world!!

[diva77]

SOLARCONCERT.COM


The FUN Solar Powered Music Festival


A Musical Proving Ground For:
Renewable, Sustainable, Non-Polluting and Environmentally
Safe Energy Sources.

[Dogmudgeon]

1. Non-polluting? Not a chance!

I thought that PV cells were semiconductors. There's a lot of pollution involved with modern semiconductor manufacture, including highly toxic compounds of germanium and cadmium.

I don't oppose solar energy at all -- just the idea that we're going to get something for nothing. I just wish that we'd also realize that we're going to have some major secondary problems to deal with.

Even thermal solar involves a pollution cleanup cost. Granted, it's little more than plumbing, but note that the word "plumbing" comes from the Latin word for lead. Lead is no longer used in any large amount in plumbing, but other toxic chemicals are. ANY solar ramp-up will involve dealing with some kind of pollution. I consider solar energy to be desirable, but this widespread idea that there will be no pollution involved is potentially dangerous.

The semiconductor industry would obviously prefer that we ignore that end of it. Just because solar power is "green" doesn't mean that big money, industrialization, and "KKKorporate fatcats" aren't going to be involved.

When we finally commit to building solar infrastructure, the semiconductor industry will grow by a factor of ten or more, just to supply PV cells for residential buildings, only about 5 or 6% of our total energy demand. We'd better plan on pollution control and remediation NOW, rather than wait until people start getting sick. There are already hundreds of scientists, engineers, and businesspeople dealing with these issues. For a major increase in solar-related development, we're going to need more. Keeping green energy green should be one of "our" areas of advocacy.

--p!

[jpak]

2. >97% of the PV modules produce in the world today utilize silicon - NOT Cd or Ge

also - if you have a link to pollution problems (actual releases) from PV module production please post them!!!

The only "toxic" substances used in solar hot water systems are the antifreezes - these are the same ones used by hundreds of millions of US automobiles today.

Yes, some are a threat to pets if dumped (illegally) in the streets, but they have not created any environmental problems when used in domestic solar systems...

[diva77]

3. thanks for raising awareness regarding pollution caused by the manufacture

of PV cells. After googling, I found this from DuPont:

http://www2.dupont.com/Photovoltaics/en_US/science_of/index.html

<snip>

Metallization:
DuPont™ Solamet® metalization compositions, a system of conductive thick film metalization materials that provide improved efficiency levels and lower cost per watt to PV modules.

In June, 2005, DuPont launched a new lead-free addition to the DuPont™ Solamet® family of thick film pastes designed for the metallization of solar cells. The new DuPont™ Solamet® lead free metallization system is not only environmentally friendlier, it offers exceptional electrical performance and greater reliability for PV modules.

<snip>

- I must claim ignorance on this topic. More info. would be appreciated, as requested by jpak in post #2

thanksB-)

[all.of.me]

4. We have a Solarfest in Taos, too

http://www.solarmusicfest.com/index.shtml

The main radio station here is also solar powered.

http://www.ktao.com/