How QCell Can Make Solar Module Production Sustainable?

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Solar energy is considered as one of the cleanest sources of energy and one of the most commercially viable technologies. In India, out of the 144 GW of renewable energy capacity (excluding large hydro), 57 percent (82 GW) comes from solar energy alone. The generation of solar energy primarily depends on the solar panels. However, if you consider the manufacturing phase of these solar panels, the story is far from hunky dory. 

The production of these solar panels do involve emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. One of the biggest concerns regarding solar energy is its high manufacturing carbon cost. It is not only the use of fossil fuel-based energy needed to manufacture it but the concern goes back to the extraction and mining of critical minerals used in its manufacturing which included Silicon, Silver and Aluminium. 

Mining and extraction of all these elements pose environmental hazards, creating pollution and an unhealthy environment in areas which are close to their mining sites. This is akin to the lives of thousands of local communities living in the mining affected areas in Indian states like Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand where coal mining takes place. 

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After that the use of fossil fuel based power, water, unscientific recycling of solar panels, all these together lead to higher emissions and other sustainability issues, adding potential environmental hazards for the earth.  

Qcells solar panels

The biggest concern regarding solar has to be its high manufacturing carbon cost. The mining and extraction of materials like silicon, silver and aluminum poses significant environmental consequences.

Enter Qcells’ Solar Panels, one the most sustainably made solar panels on the market. Qcells’ residential and commercial panels-named the QTRON and QPEAK DUO have recently achieved the Global Electronics Council’s criteria to be declared sustainable, making them EPEAT registered products.

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A new globally recognized ecolabel, EPEAT is an independently validated standard that allows for the identification of environmentally preferable products from socially responsible companies. Think of it like a USB certification for sustainability. EPEAT addresses the whole product life cycle, including substances in the product, water and energy use for manufacturing the product, scope for end of life recycling and human rights i.e. how the workers are treated. If you’re buying a product from an EPEAT certified firm, a standard of sustainability has been maintained.

Under the 2021 plans announced by the Biden Administration, EPEAT will steer billions of dollars in federal government purchasing power toward sustainably made solar manufactured by EPEAT certified leaders in the domestic solar industry.

“After over two years of striving to make more sustainable solar panels, we’re proud to have achieved this huge accomplishment,” said Kelly Weger, Senior Director of Sustainability at Qcells. “The EPEAT ecolabel will make it easy for customers who value transparency and sustainability to find our products and work with us. Beyond commercial and residential customers, this now means our USA assembled and sustainably made solar products will help the federal government achieve its climate goals. Overall, customers large and small now have a resource that will help them hit their sustainability goals faster while supporting U.S. jobs.”

Headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, Qcells is one of the world’s leading clean energy companies, recognized for its reputation as a manufacturer of high-performance solar cells and modules. With manufacturing facilities in the US, Malaysia and South Korea, it’s one of the few companies not sourcing their manufacturing from China. They’ve joined First Solar in acquiring the EPEAT designation.

The strategic alliance between Qcell and Microsoft might signal the start of an era where sustainably produced solar panels gain popularity, with prices matching or being slightly above the competition.

Qcells follows a similar path by more US-based firms like Nextracker and Firstsolar that don’t just tout their US origins, but the greener manufacturing process they follow to build a differentiator from competitive imports. For example FirstSolar is one of the few global solar module manufacturer which takes care of the recycling of its solar modules on its own. The company which is into the production of Cadmium-Tellurium based solar panels use the discarded items from the solar panels to produce other useful products.

On the other hand, global solar tracker firms like Nextracker claims to adopt waste reduction initiatives and energy efficient measures to reduce its carbon footprint.  

Expect the market to evolve even further in the coming months.

By-Yash Singh