Are Rare Earth Elements Used In Solar Panels

More clean energy means more solar panels wind turbines electric vehicles and large scale batteries.

Are rare earth elements used in solar panels.

Thin film solar panels use rare metals like indium and tellurium while a crucial process in the conversion of petroleum into gasoline uses lanthanum and cerium. Rare earth elements are 17 elements found on earth. By depleting earth of its resources solar energy is not sustainable as the components required are limited. Neodymium is a so called rare earth element a silvery metal with a very important role.

Environmental scientists and solar industry leaders are raising the red flag about used solar panels which contain toxic heavy metals and are considered hazardous waste. Rare earth metals hard to find materials with unfamiliar names such as lanthanum neodymium and europium are used in wind and solar energy projects but dwindling supplies could hinder a roll out of low carbon technologies and slow china s shift away from coal power. Rare metals are especially vital for renewable energy technologies such as electric cars and solar panels. For example a single tesla vehicle requires about 15 pounds or a bowling ball s worth of lithium and thin cheap solar panels need tellurium one of the rarest elements on earth.

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Researchers are now working to find alternatives to these critical elements or better ways to recycle them. A new report by the french environment and energy management agency ademe shows that rare earth minerals are not widely used in solar energy and battery storage technologies.