Essay by Eric Worrall
Solar panels, which contain dangerous toxins such as Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic and toxic plastics, will be installed as covers for California’s water supply channels.
California tries to solve drought with solar panels on the canal
Watt an interesting idea
California is ready to try something that could help it save water and generate electricity at the same time: solar panels on irrigation canals.
For this proof-of-concept experiment, approximately 8,500 feet of photovoltaic panels will be installed in the waterways just north of Turlock, central California, generating electricity while preventing water from evaporating.
This $20 million state-funded pilot program has been dubbed Project Nexus, and will be operated by the Turlock Irrigation District (TID), a non-profit water and electricity supply organization, along with its partners. If successful, it could be deployed across multiple US Gold States.
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Read more: https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/31/california_solar_power_canals/
Solar panels are so toxic, disposal is a serious problem. Are from US EPA;
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Are solar panels hazardous waste?
Hazardous waste testing on solar panels on the market has shown that different types of solar panels have different metals in the semiconductor and solder. One of the measurements metals, such as lead and cadmium, are harmful to human health and the environment at high levels. If these metals are present in high enough quantities in solar panels, solar panel waste can be hazardous waste Below RCRA. Some solar panels are considered hazardous waste and some are not, even within the same model and manufacturer. Homeowners with solar panels on their home should contact their state/local recycling agencies for more information on disposal/recycling.
Overview of hazardous waste regulations
Federal regulations on solid and hazardous waste (e.g.: RCRA requirements) applies to solar panels as they are discarded. When a solar panel reaches the end of its useful life or is discarded, it becomes solid waste. Solid waste is federally regulated RCRA Subtitles EASY and through state and local government programs.
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Read more: https://www.epa.gov/hw/end-life-solar-panels-regulation-and-management
I don’t know if there is enough Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic and other foreign substances that could leach into the water to pose a health hazard. But who in their mind would want to take such a risk?
Roofing hundreds of miles of waterways with coatings that contain dangerous chemicals and could leak those dangerous chemicals into the water supply is not my idea of a sensible plan. Low levels of washout can cause a serious problem over a long enough distance. Even if the initial leak rate is low, as the panels degrade or fail, the rate at which nasty chemicals enter the water supply can increase dangerously fast.
Let’s just say that if California continues with this ridiculous plan, intentionally placing deadly poisons near their domestic and family water supplies, I’ll start checking product labels more carefully in the future when I went shopping.
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