In this video i will explain what cadmium telluride or cdte solar panels are all abou.
Cadnium teller solar panels.
It operated a production facility in longmont colorado.
Solar panels often contain lead cadmium and other toxic chemicals that cannot be removed without breaking apart the entire panel.
In relation to solar panels the cdte is safe while encapsulated in the module but if the panel is damaged and exposed to water the cadmium telluride could leach into the water.
Worse rainwater can wash many of these toxics out of the fragments of solar modules over time.
Cadmium telluride photovoltaics describes a photovoltaic technology that is based on the use of cadmium telluride in a thin semiconductor layer designed to absorb and convert sunlight into electricity.
The company was incorporated as ava solar in 2007 and was rebranded as abound solar in march 2009.
Approximately 90 of most pv modules are made up of glass.
Cadmium telluride cdte is the most common type of thin film solar cell in production.
Cadmium telluride while considered less dangerous in relation to acute exposure is toxic if ingested improperly handled or the dust inhaled.
First solar a us based manufacturer makes attractive pv modules that can be used in home applications.
Cadmium telluride pv is the only thin film technology with lower costs than conventional solar cells made of crystalline silicon in multi kilowatt systems.
It could be the future of solar.
Cdte thin film panels are made from several thin layers.
As the second most common photovoltaic technology on the market behind traditional crystalline silicon cadmium telluride cdte panels are already a viable thin film solar panel solution.
Cadmium telluride is a direct bandgap material with bandgap energy of about 1 45 defined ev which is well matched to the solar spectrum and nearly optimal for converting sunlight into electricity using a single junction.
What is cdte and why should i care.
Solar panels generate 300 times more toxic waste per unit of energy than nuclear power plants.
They also contain lead cadmium and other toxic even carcinogenic chemicals that cannot be removed without breaking apart the entire panel.
On a lifecycle basis cdte pv has the smallest carbon footprint lowest water use and shortest energy payback time of any current photo voltai.