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Solar modules deployed in France in 1992 still provide 75.9% of original output power
(www.pv-magazine.com)
this post was submitted on 07 Jun 2024
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It's funny how all the FUD idiots say that solar panels will wind up in the landfill and shit like that
It's a stupid argument against solar power, but it is a legitimate argument against cheap and poorly-constructed solar panels that do not have the same longevity as the ones built in the 90s.
The one's made now have plenty of longevity. They don't base the replacement time on when they actually go bad, and as long as they're not abused or get hit by bowling ball-sized hail or something, they'll keep producing some kind of power for a long time. It's just that for the space they take up, it may be worthwhile to replace them.
Same with EV batteries. They might have limited range after 10 years, but they could still be useful for things like home backup power without having to do a whole recycling job.
But that's the problem. Early adopters are starting to see the performance drops and are just replacing their equipment, and we don't have a proper reuse pathway for a lot of it. We should prepare a plan for panel (and battery) repurposing to keep plastic and metals out of landfills. Recycling alone isn't enough.
Again, not a reason not to produce or adopt solar power and electric cars, but it is a legitimate second-level concern.
That's the tricky part with dismissing these concerns outright. Conservatives are not arguing in good faith, and take a kernel of truth surrounded by a mountain of bullshit. We don't want to overcorrect and ignore the problems, because that just fuels the bullshit arguments.
Sounds like a problem that a good capitalist could solve. Take old panels for next to nothing, sell them for reduced price to used market customers.