Solar Arrays vs. Tornados
A few weeks ago, tornados swept across Indiana and left a path of destruction and debris. The town of Lake Village saw significant damage from the tornado that ripped through the area. The Duns Bridge solar facility, near Wheatfield, also sustained damage from a tornado.
Once the damage of the storms hit the news, people began posting online about how dangerous substances would now be seeping into the soil around the solar arrays and poisoning the land.
This is a misunderstanding that we as solar providers often observe even though these solar developments are safe. There are trace amounts of hazardous materials in solar modules, but nothing that would destroy the land around an array if it saw catastrophic damage, like that done by a tornado.
Let’s dive a little deeper.
Do Harmful Chemicals Seep from Solar Panels?
This solar field was made up of C-Si panels. The main component in C-Si panels is silicon. This substance is a non-toxic mineral that makes up about 25% of soil. Other materials are included in trace amounts, but the main concern is the lead-based solder used to link the individual cells within the panel together. The average amount of lead in a panel is 12-15 grams or about half of the lead in a 12-gauge shotgun shell or 1/750th in a car battery.
Debris Left By Solar Fields
Beyond the concern of hazardous chemicals, others have voiced a concern regarding broken glass. However, the glass used on solar panels is not your typical window glass. It is tempered glass, made to be 4-5 times stronger than conventional glass, resistant to hail, blown debris, and fallen tree limbs in some instances. Most panels are IEC certified to ensure glass can withstand harsh conditions, reducing the chance of breakage. When it does break, it shatters into small pieces without the typical sharp edges of conventional glass.
It’s also worth considering the debris scattered when a house, barn, or business is struck by a tornado. The result is also glass, metal, and other building materials scattered across the landscape. In older buildings, this might even mean debris containing lead, asbestos, and other contaminants. In general, severe weather leads to a mess that needs to be cleaned up, but solar fields are no more dangerous than other structures.
Solar Misinformation Hurting Communities
People are often afraid of technology they don’t completely understand and will resist moving forward with innovative plans for their communities. Dan Gearino working at Inside Climate News, a publication known for nonpartisan coverage of climate news and solar development. He has written at length about his experiences in the Midwest with misinformation and how it plays into how communities talk about solar development.
“Having sat in many community hearings about solar power development, I am used to vivid descriptions of how photovoltaic panels might as well be dripping with harmful substances that will sicken people and livestock.
“The concerns are pervasive, but almost completely separate from reality.
“In those hearings, people who oppose projects will often talk about health concerns, reading things they got from internet searches or by sharing talking points from groups that oppose nearly all solar development. There are many examples in my reporting last year about opposition to solar projects in Ohio, including one instance of a county health official repeating some of the dubious claims.
Some of this is intentionally misleading, but I think it’s a mistake to say that most opposition to development is being done with ill intent. Many people are looking for good answers to their questions about health and safety.”
Education and the Truth About Solar
We need to educate people about the safety of solar, especially compared to the known risks of fossil fuels. In the coming weeks, we will be introducing a weekly post regarding the facts and myths of solar fields. Please share these as you are able and help others understand that solar is a safe technology and solid alternative for our world.
Owner & Director of Sales
Cindy started as a consultant with Green Alternatives in 2009 and has moved into her current position within the last few years. She loves meeting with potential clients, answering their questions, and ultimately designing a PV solar system that meets their needs and goals.