Time to face a Solar PV Crossroad

jux·ta·po·si·tion

/?j?kst?p??ziSH(?)n/

noun

1. the fact of two things being seen or placed close together with contrasting effect."the juxtaposition of these two images"

Solar Industry Veterans Sam Vanderhoof, Peter Beadle and Jeff Brown are stepping out where no other solar folks have gone before. Recycling PV Solar is one of those subjects not many at all have thought about nor talking about. For Sam Vanderhoof it has become a personal quest these past few years to not just take on but to concur. Today Sam has put together the team to make Recycling PV Solar on the top of the solar discussion for 2019.

For two decades now here in the US we have watched what I call the Solar Miracle. An entire industry that did not exist has developed hundreds of thousands of jobs and even helped spur on economy's during down times. Hundreds of millions of solar panels have been installed changing the way America powers it's grid. That number keeps multiplying. Hence therefore is the challenge. We have a beautiful green sustainable energy industry that has currently created a waste pile that would fill train cars stretched from New York to California. It is not just growing it is multiplying! Folks I admit guilt here as well!

I stumbled across the word juxtaposition today and it fits. How can such a Green Sustainable Industry today not have in place a sustainable plan? An industry with a little bit a bad behavior today sending End of Life solar panels to Landfills. Legally or not legal is the incorrect narrative. The discussion is simple math, sustainability and the environment.

We do not have room for the hundreds of billions of panels expected to be heading that way over the next 20 years. A new Dutch study just released points out we do not have enough commodities to sustain the building of solar panels and electronics facing shortages as soon as 2030. https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/a25576543/renewable-limits-materials-dutch-ministry-infrastructure/

Tossing that many solar panels into landfills lined or not simply is not good for our environment. Sure a solar panel has less toxic crap than say a AA Battery and we know where those all get tossed but folks it all adds up. Today it is estimated some 90% of solar panels are tossed into trash bins ending up in landfills. Many of these solar panels can be repaired and or re-purposed. There is a vast market here in the US and South America for used panels for off grid usage.

Today we can reclaim 94%+ of all the commodities built into a solar panel. This is a very hard task. Have you ever simply tried to remove the aluminum frame or J-box? Yes it is an expensive process and you have shipping costs as well. There are no government subsidies or incentives yet nor will there be this year. That takes time and we are just starting the process. So today it is all about holding onto what we all know is right and true. Installing solar has been the right thing to do for our environment, grid and customers. Now we must all step up with that same conviction ensuring no solar PV goes to waste ending up in a landfill.

Having this conversation starts at your own company. Are you a manufacture, distributor or a contractor? Then at your very next Solar Industry Association meeting vowing to commit to the mission of change. Quite simply put "Facio Recte" which in Latin means "Doing Right".

Contact me today to start the conversation. [email protected]