Rare Earth Metals In Solar Panels

However a lack of rare earths does not mean that the components of solar modules are harmless.

Rare earth metals in solar panels.

High performance batteries need lithium which is only easily extracted from briny pools in the andes. If solar panels are so clean why do they produce much toxic waste. Using rare metals in solar panels. Thin film pv technologies for example contain potentially critical metals such as tellurium.

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. This means that global production of several rare earth minerals used in solar panels and wind turbines especially neodymium terbium indium dysprosium and praseodymium must grow twelvefold by. In 2011 the average price of rare earth metals shot up by as much as 750 percent. Rare earths hasting technology metals signs third offtake agreement.

Experts have found that the rare metals required to build solar panels such as indium and tellurium are not in sufficient supply to keep up with demand.