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Photovoltaics: environmental, health and safety issues and perspectives
Author(s) -
Fthenakis V. M.,
Moskowitz P. D.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
progress in photovoltaics: research and applications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.286
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1099-159X
pISSN - 1062-7995
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1099-159x(200001/02)8:1<27::aid-pip296>3.0.co;2-8
Subject(s) - flammable liquid , hazardous waste , photovoltaic system , photovoltaics , risk analysis (engineering) , business , emerging technologies , process (computing) , environmental planning , environmental science , computer science , engineering , waste management , electrical engineering , artificial intelligence , operating system
The photovoltaic (PV) industry must continue its pro‐active approach to prevent accidents and environmental damage, and to sustain PV's inherent environmental, health, and safety (EHS) advantages. This paper presents an overview of EHS issues related to current and emerging PV technologies and gives examples of this pro‐active approach. We summarize the hazards related to potential accidental releases of toxic or flammable gases used in photovoltaic cell production, and strategies for reducing such risks (e.g., choosing material and process options which inherently have small risks, and preventing accident‐initiating events). Other issues discussed herein include reducing the use of toxic or carcinogenic materials in powder form, managing liquid hazardous waste, and recycling solid waste and spent modules. As the PV industry approaches these issues and mitigation strategies in a vigilant, systematic way, the risk to the industry, the workers, and the public will become minimal. An example is also discussed of environmental benefits from a large scale PV implementation, that is the potential of PV in reducing CO 2 emissions. Published in 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.