Health and Safety
Research conducted by North Carolina State University investigated the public health and safety of utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) projects. Toxicity, electromagnetic fields, electric shock and arc flash, and fire were all researched. With each of these concerns the negative health and safety impacts of utility-scale PV development were shown to be negligible, while the public health and safety benefits of installing these facilities are significant and far outweigh any negative impacts.
Public Health
Notable health findings by the NC State researchers:
PV technology has been studied since the 1950s.
PV technologies and solar inverters are not known to pose any significant health dangers to their neighbors.
Due to the reduction in the pollution from fossil-fuel-fired electric generators, the overall impact of solar development on human health is overwhelmingly positive.
Emission-free PV-generated electricity results in reduced pollution and reduced harmful sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
Risks of site contamination are minimal.
Solar Panel Materials
Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels consist of glass, polymer, aluminum, and semiconductor materials. Solar panel materials can be recovered and recycled or landfilled just like regular household waste at the end of their useful life.
To provide decades of corrosion-free operation, PV cells are laminated with ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA), the same non-toxic resin material used to laminate car windshield glass. The EVA fully encapsulates the PV cell from air and moisture.
The EVA bonds with the tempered (strengthened) glass and prevents the glass from shattering, similar to a car windshield. In the same way that a car windshield cracks but stays intact, the tempered glass keeps broken panels intact. Thus, a damaged module does not generally create small pieces of debris; instead, it largely remains together as one piece.
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