Hail Storm Lifts the Lid on Solar Sustainability

Christina Thompson (Anchor, EarthxNews): Is solar power actually sustainable? A severe hailstorm in Texas is bringing e-waste concerns to the forefront as questions arise over what happens to solar panels at the end of their lifespan. Hint: it involves the landfill.

Bad weather in Texas is sparking concerns over the sustainability of solar energy.

According to several media reports, a severe hail storm shattered hundreds of solar panels at the Fighting Jay’s solar farm, a project that spans more than 3,000 acres.

The damage to the panels ignited a series of questions over the amount of electronic waste or e-waste that can build up as solar panels reach the end of their lifespan. According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the waste volumes that will be produced as solar panels reach the end of their useful life will be as much as 78 million tons by 2050.

The broken panels also kindled fears of a potential health risk after a person living next to the facility raised concerns over a recent study that said solar panels contain a harmful chemical that can cause kidney harm and lung problems. A spokesperson for the facility’s parent company responded to those concerns—saying the panels at this solar farm are silicon based. They don’t contain the toxic chemical linked to the health hazards, nor are there any known risks to the local community or the environment.

Despite this, industry analysts say the polysilicon used in many solar panels—including the ones at the solar farm just outside Houston—cannot be recycled, so destroyed panels may still end up in a landfill.