Photovoltaic energy technologies: health and environmental effects document

Technical Report · Mon Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1980

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6317691· OSTI ID:6317691

Moskowitz, P. D.; Hamilton, L. D.; Morris, S. C.; Novak, K. M.; Rowe, M. D.

A documented quantitative analysis is presented of knowledge and uncertainty of the potential health and environmental consequences of producing electricity by photovoltaic energy systems. Potential health and environmental risks are identified by systematic examination of all steps in representative fuel and material supply cycles including extraction, processing, refining, fabrication, installation, operation, and disposal for four photovoltaic energy systems (silicon N/P single crystal, silicon metal/insulator/semiconductor (MIS) cell, cadmium sulfide/copper sulfide backwall cell, and gallium arsenide heterojunction cell) delivering equal amounts of useful energy (10/sup 12/ Btu). For each step in the fuel and material supply cycles, materials demands, by-products, public health, occupational health, and environmental hazards are identified and assessed.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA). National Center for Analysis of Energy Systems
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 6317691
• Report Number(s): BNL-51284; ON: DE81027693
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140400 -- Solar Energy-- Environmental Aspects
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
CADMIUM SULFIDE SOLAR CELLS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS
EQUIPMENT
EXTRACTION
FABRICATION
GALLIUM ARSENIDE SOLAR CELLS
HAZARDS
HEALTH HAZARDS
INSTALLATION
MANAGEMENT
MIS SOLAR CELLS
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY
OPERATION
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PROCESSING
PUBLIC HEALTH
REFINING
SAFETY
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT