Another little problem with renewable energy?

[LoboGunLeather]

It seems that there are quite a few photovoltaic solar panels reaching the end of their useful lives and now require some attention to recovery, collection, storage, transportation, disposal, or recycling. Perhaps some conflicts exist in how to deal with hazardous waste.

Certainly just a few unintended consequences:

California went big on rooftop solar. Now that's a problem for landfills

Interesting reading.

 

[Puller]

The problem with clean energy is that it isn't clean.

 

[DWalt]

Here in Texas, ERCOT (the Texas electrical grid system) is pleading for everyone in the state to cut back electrical use as much as possible due to the heat. The system is now very near its maximum carrying capacity. Included in ERCOT's appeal is charging of electric vehicles. Seems that coinciding with the current heat wave, part of the problem is that wind speeds around the state have dropped greatly. As a result, wind power being generated has dropped to about 10% of wind generation capacity.

Regarding problems associated with end-of-life disposal of solar panels, the same problems, perhaps even worse, exist for wind generation equipment.

 

[coltle6920]

I wait for BestBuy to close and drop everything by their backdoor.

I live a few miles from Rocky Mountain Arsenal and I'm supposed to be concerned about solar panels.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Here in Texas, ERCOT (the Texas electrical grid system) is pleading for everyone in the state to cut back electrical use as much as possible due to the heat. The system is now very near its maximum carrying capacity. Included in ERCOT's appeal is charging of electric vehicles. Seems that coinciding with the current heat wave, part of the problem is that wind speeds around the state have dropped greatly. As a result, wind power being generated has dropped to about 10% of wind generation capacity.

Regarding problems associated with end-of-life disposal of solar panels, the same problems, perhaps even worse, exist for wind generation equipment.

Recently noticed another article on wind turbines. Seems that those huge football field length things wear out after several years and must be replaced, but there is no current method for recycling the old blades. More unintended consequences.......................

 

[bigwheelzip]

Are you really surprised that an expensive and sophisticated recycling industry hasn't been developed and rolled out nationwide, just waiting for those first installed PV panels to fail?



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[biku324]

Our roof panels are from 2014 and just fine.

 

[DWalt]

Our roof panels are from 2014 and just fine.

My next door neighbor had some panels installed around 2016, I think, and has needed to have several replaced. Not sure about exactly how solar panels wear out, but I guess they do.

 

[biku324]

Here in Texas, ERCOT (the Texas electrical grid system) is pleading for everyone in the state to cut back electrical use as much as possible due to the heat. The system is now very near its maximum carrying capacity. Included in ERCOT's appeal is charging of electric vehicles. Seems that coinciding with the current heat wave, part of the problem is that wind speeds around the state have dropped greatly. As a result, wind power being generated has dropped to about 10% of wind generation capacity.

Regarding problems associated with end-of-life disposal of solar panels, the same problems, perhaps even worse, exist for wind generation equipment.

I'm in neighboring NM; we get much of the same weather east of the mountains. Except for a few communities in the far SE connected to Texas electric companies, we have none of Texas' power problems. Depending on the day, between 12% and 43% of our energy is wind/solar. Since we winterize our wind turbines, they work just fine in the winter, like those in Alaska and Canada.

 

[CALREB]

Solar panels, old wind turbines, and the 1000 lb or so electric vehicle batteries. Might be a problem some day, DUH!!!!

 

[UncleEd]

Enough fossil fuels exist to
maintain my lifestyle in my
lifetime. So let's do nothing.

Besides, it seems problems
arise with new technology.
Why bother.

 

[fordson]

I surmise that you are saying that with tongue firmly planted in cheek………

 

[dockmurgw]

I'm in neighboring NM; we get much of the same weather east of the mountains. Except for a few communities in the far SE connected to Texas electric companies, we have none of Texas' power problems.

Go buy a generator

PNM warns of potential blackouts in New Mexico this summer - KOB.com

 

[ladder13]

"The vast majority of We Recycle Solar's business comes from California, but the company has no facilities in the state. Instead, the panels are trucked to a site in Yuma, Ariz. That's because California's rigorous permitting system for toxic materials makes it exceedingly difficult to set up shop, Orben said"


CA dumping on their neighbor.

 

[glenwolde]

There's a lot of issues with renewable energy. I was reading a good article on it this weekend. I'd link it but it's behind a paywall.

Some pertinent data:

1. Counting the charging equipment, electric cars consume 6X the copper of a conventional car.

2. Your average wind turbine requires something on the order of 4+ TONS of copper.

The copper miners are having trouble expanding to meet the expected demand because of....environmental concerns about the mines! Not to mention more tons of steel and aluminum. I'd say that's quite the "irony".

If you wanted to power the city of Paris with solar, it would take an area seven times the size of the city to contain all the panels needed.

That's the other thing not often mentioned. Renewables take up a ton of real estate.

 

[Just another 22 shooter]

That's the other thing not often mentioned. Renewables take up a ton of real estate.

Here in the mid west, windmills and solar farms use land previously used for corn, soybean, alfalfa, and pasture; all of which move up the food chain to your dinner table. Hasn't something about a looming food shortage been in the news recently?

 

[ladder13]

Many of the rare earth materials come from China and Russia.

National security issue?

 

[GaryS]

Nuclear power works quite well. France and Germany used them until they went "green." Now they too are running into shortages and are getting squeezed by Russia.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Speaking of big Blades.
Have you seen one up close?
They are Huge!

 

[bigwheelzip]

Nuclear power works quite well. France and Germany used them until they went "green." Now they too are running into shortages and are getting squeezed by Russia.

France "went green", with 72% of it's power being generated from nuclear stations?

There is much to be learned from France's control of that industry, like plant design standardization and waste reprocessing.

I was working at B&W Nuclear Technologies in Lynchburg VA when the French company, Framatome, which designs all their nuclear power stations, bought the division I worked for. They brought in a much higher level of professionalism and accountability.

"France's Efficiency in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: What Can 'Oui' Learn? | IAEA" France's Efficiency in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle: What Can 'Oui' Learn? | IAEA


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