Solar Energy Risks To Health

Solar energy is a potential source of freesilicon. Materials released during refining are the
electricity and water heating. It offers the powermain health risks. Several steps in forming the
to enjoy electrical power in remote areas of thephotovoltaic cells utilize toxic materials. These are
world. It seems to offer health and safety alongsprayed on the cells, and can readily be inhaled.
with power, but does it?It is estimated that solar energy health risks
Solar energy health risks are seldom mentioned.associated with producing PV panels per unit
That may be partially due to the limited use ofenergy may be between 11 and 21 deaths per
this source of energy. It may also be due to thequadrillion joules of energy produced.
lack of research in this area. Some have begun toSolar energy health risks from PV panels are
study solar energy health risks, however, and ifvery slight once the panels are produced and
one researches long enough, a few estimates areinstalled on the consumer's home. This type of
available.solar energy is known for reliability and low
Thermal Solar Energy Health Risksmaintenance. The home owner seldom needs to
Solar energy health risks are inherent to thebe involved in any repairs, and thereby cuts solar
design and installation of most thermal energyenergy health risks.
systems. These are the systems designed toPassive Solar Energy Health Risks
heat water and air for household use.Passive solar energy provides safety and health.
Solar water heaters complete three basicA new building that maximizes this technology can
operations before delivering hot water to yourreduce energy costs by nearly one half. How?
faucet or your heating unit:1. Warming indoor air in a house through vertical,
1. collect sunlight and convert it into heat energy.slanted windows facing the sun. The windows
2. circulate fluids that transfer the heat energy tocapture maximum solar energy from the sunlight.
a storage unit2. Collecting solar energy in adobe or stone walls
3. store the hot water until you need itand floors, and then releasing it into the air as the
The solar energy health risks with such a systemtemperature falls.
usually occur in the storage units. Some units allow3. Collecting solar energy in a sun space, much like
for the growth of allergenic molds and fungi.a greenhouse built on the sunny side of the home.
If proper materials are used for the storage unit,This heat is sent into the home with proper
however, these solar energy systems presentventilation.
few, if any, health risks. Their advantages are4. Holding water in black roof tanks until needed,
that they are far safer than most fossil fuels orcutting the working time of the home's hot water
nuclear power - they have no emissions and doheater.
not pollute the air.5. Using clerestories - rows of windows near roof
PV Panel Solar Energy Health Riskspeaks that catch sunlight and bounce it through
The solar energy health risks associated withthe building. The sunlight reduces the need for
photovoltaic (PV) panels occurs before the panelselectric lights.
are put into use on the consumer's home. PVIn Summary
panels are the panels used to collect solar energySolar energy technologies present few, if any,
from sunlight and convert it into usable electricity.health risks for the end user. Their use can
The manufacture of PV panels requires the usereduce the health risks presented by other
of toxic materials. Silicon dioxide is mined fromenergy sources, providing cleaner, safer, more
sand or quartzite and reduced with heat to purecost effective energy.