of solar pv panels
How ‘green’ is the production of silicon for PV solar panels?
My understanding is that even though silicon is a common element there is only one usable type of silicon for PV panels.
My question actually has 3 parts: 1) How is it mined and refined? 2) What countries have the majority of it? 3) Will there be negative environmental and sociopolitical impacts on the mining of this material? (As with “blood diamonds” and strip-mining?)
To clarify: There is a very specific type of silicon used for PV panels. Different sand has different content. I figured in different parts of the world there would be higher concentrations of this particular type?
There is a bit of a spiel on this link about the manufacture of silicon semiconductors and how they work.
http://www.phys.unsw.edu.au/COURSES/FIRST_YEAR/pdf%20files/LecNotesWeek3.pdf
To try and simplify this a bit.
Silicon is one of the most commonly occurring substances on earth. For pv cells it is refined to be virtually 100% pure. (Plenty of heat). Dopents are added to create either a surplus of electrons or a shortage of electrons. Making the final ingot produced either n type or p type respectively.
Slices of p and n type ingots are placed together and electrical connections are made to each side. (Diodes and transistors are made the same way with much smaller surface areas.) In the presence of light an electrical current flows from one contact to the other = electricity.
There are basically two types of silicon cells multicrystaline and monocrystaline. The later is more efficient and require more power to produce because they are manufactured from single crystals.
Not all solar panels are made from silicon. Gallium Arsenide cells are even more efficient and expensive
http://www.mdatechnology.net/techsearch.asp?articleid=412#sec6
There is a company called dyesol that claims to have produced a solar cell that utilises Artificial Photosynthesis.
http://www.dyesol.com/index.php?page=HowItWorks
Most countries have sand that can be refined into high purity silicon. If it is lower silica sand it takes more energy. The white sands usually contain the highest levels of silicon and are usually the preferred source. Countries with large sandy coastlines are the best sources of this sand.
As with anything if there is a buck in it, someone is going to get ripped off. If performed responsibly sand mining can have minimal environmental impact. It disturbs quite a small area which can be revegitated as the activity moves on. When driven by a quick buck it can be a disaster.
In short pv producition can be done in quite a green but not always.
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