Public health issues in photovoltaic energy systems: An overview of concerns

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6725173

Moskowitz, P D; Fthenakis, V M; Hamilton, L D; Lee, J C

Photovoltaic cell fabrication facilities may adversely affect public health by emitting pollutants during routine operation or by accidental events. The most important hazards probably relate to accidental releases of toxic or flammable gases used in large quantities in thin-film photovoltaic cell production. The most efficient strategies for reducing gas risks is to choose material and process options which inherently possess small risks, and to prevent accident initiating events. If accidents do occur, strategies to prevent catastrophic releases, to control releases and to prevent public exposures to toxic agents become important. Prevention and mitigation of consequences form the final defensive barriers. Homeowners who have small decentralized arrays may be at increased risk to fire and electric shock hazards. Manufacturers should carefully consider design engineering measures to prevent events, to prevent exposures, and to prevent consequences. If industry approaches these issues and mitigation strategies in a systematic way, liability and risk to industry and to the public should be minimized. 18 refs., 1 fig., 5 tabs.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 6725173
• Report Number(s): BNL-39205; CONF-8601110-2; ON: DE87007643
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140700 -- Solar Thermal Power Systems
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
299001 -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Solar-- (1989-)
500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ARSENIC COMPOUNDS
ARSENIDES
BORON COMPOUNDS
BORON HYDRIDES
CHEMICAL EFFLUENTS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EMERGENCY PLANS
FABRICATION
FLUORIDES
FLUORINE COMPOUNDS
GALLIUM ARSENIDES
GALLIUM COMPOUNDS
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
PHOSPHIDES
PHOSPHINES
PHOSPHORUS COMPOUNDS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC POWER PLANTS
PNICTIDES
POWER PLANTS
PUBLIC OPINION
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON FLUORIDES
SOLAR POWER PLANTS
ZINC COMPOUNDS
ZINC PHOSPHIDES