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Most solar doesn't require rare metals. CIGs does, but that's not very common. I can see complex fabrication, but pretty much everything requires that. Besides
by omgwtfbyobbq 6y ago
Most solar doesn't require rare metals. CIGs does, but that's not very common. I can see complex fabrication, but pretty much everything requires that.
Besides cost, the other issue with nuclear, or any large single generator, is that they can go down unexpectedly and their output drops from whatever to 0. This is less common when generation is from many individual generators. If a wine turbine goes out, it only drops the output of the wind farm by some small fraction.
- nickles 6y ago> Most solar doesn't require rare metals. However, it does require lead, cadmium, and other dangerous materials. Solar power can produce up to 300x the toxic waste as nuclear power does. [0] https://www.cfact.org/2019/09/15/the-solar-panel-toxic-waste-problem/ https://www.cfact.org/2019/09/15/the-solar-panel-toxic-waste...
- omgwtfbyobbq 6y agoIt generally does not. A quick search shows that the company referenced in that article, Solyndra, made CIGS panels, which, like I said, are relatively rare, in large part because they were a failed startup that went out of business. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solyndra https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solyndra The vast majority of panels use crystalline Silicon. The article also conflates warrantied lifespan with average lifespan. Solar PV cells can last much longer than 20 years. https://www.presse.uni-oldenburg.de/einblicke/54/files/assets/downloads/page0009.pdf https://www.presse.uni-oldenburg.de/einblicke/54/files/asset...