Solar Panels Rare Earth

Neodymium is a so called rare earth element a silvery metal with a very important role.

Solar panels rare earth.

Currently marketed photovoltaic solar technologies do not use rare earths. By depleting earth of its resources solar energy is not sustainable as the components required are limited. More clean energy means more solar panels wind turbines electric vehicles and large scale batteries. Of the commonly used batteries only nickel metal hydride nimh batteries contain a rare earth alloy on the cathode but.

Plenty of high tech electronic components like solar panels rechargeable batteries and complex circuits require specific rare metals. Mining for rare metals is considered to be one of china s most polluting industries presenting potential disasters relating to contamination that threaten to cause a wide scale catastrophe. While solar panels generate carbon free electricity they carry environmental footprints of their own. These can include magnetic neodymium electronic indium.

Revision of solar panel production process. Invex news increased demand for solar panels solar panels archives steel aluminum critical materials strategy home gvs rare earths are rare earths in solar panels pv internationalhome gvs rare earthswe don t mine enough rare earth metals to replace fossil fuelssolar panels indexmundirare earth elements and role in renewable energy kernthe dark side of renewable. The new photovoltaic technology uses abundant less expensive materials like copper and zinc earth abundant materials instead of indium gallium and other so called rare earth elements. Rare earth metals hard to find materials with unfamiliar names such as lanthanum neodymium and europium are used in wind and solar energy projects but dwindling supplies could hinder a roll out of low carbon technologies and slow china s shift away from coal power.

In 2011 the average price of rare earth metals shot up by as much as 750 percent. These compounds which are highly toxic when mined and processed also take a heavy environmental toll on soil and water. Thin cheap solar panels need tellurium which makes up a scant 0 0000001 percent of the earth s crust making it three times rarer than gold. A new report by the french environment and energy management agency ademe shows that rare earth minerals are not widely used in solar energy and battery storage technologies.