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Correction: Crystalline silicon solar cells, the most popular type today, require no rare earths. The most expensive and rare element in them is silver - used
by Tade0 6y ago
Correction: Crystalline silicon solar cells, the most popular type today, require no rare earths.
The most expensive and rare element in them is silver - used for the reflective layer underneath.
- ivanhoe 6y agoyes, if you don't count in the inverter and charger controller units and the batteries used as part of a common setup... I've got a degree in electrical engineering, but as I've said, I really don't feel competent enough to go into any discussion on a degree of actual threat, if any, as looking into all the side-effects of some tech is really complex task far above my pay grade and it's super easy to overlook something and jump to wrong conclusions. I just wanted to point out that this popular black & white bias between solar and nuclear is not as simple as people think of it.
- pfdietz 6y agoHow are rare earth elements used in any of those? I think you're just repeating a propaganda lie about PV.
- sgerenser 6y agoBatteries are very rare as part of most residential solar installs. Inverters and charge controllers are pretty basic devices, they contain a bunch of high current semiconductors and heat sinks and fans, nothing that I’m aware of that’s particularly hazardous or unusual.
- pfdietz 6y agoSilver is used in the front contact wires, not a reflective layer.