Examining public and occupational health risks of photovoltaic energy technologies

Abstract

This report examines potential public and occupational health and safety risks associated with different photovoltaic cell types (silicon n/p, silicon metal/insulator/semiconductor (MIS) and cadmium sulfide/copper sulfide) and their use in small rooftop shingle, rooftop panel, and ground-based units. Potential development of this technology has aroused concern about public health risks from use, and release of specific pollutants (e.g. silicon and cadmium) from photovoltaic cell fabrication, and conventional pollutants from preparation of structural materials (e.g. sulfur oxides), hazards of electrical shock, and about occupational health risks of accident- and illness-related hazards. Also, questions exist about potential uncertainties in these estimates, and differences in risk among different fabrication alternatives. This report does not resolve all these concerns but some perspective is provided for these questions: (1) what photovoltaic fabrication alternatives and uses will be commercialized in the near-term; (2) what types and quantities of materials will be used and what wastes will be produced; (3) what effects will these pollutants have on environmental quality; (4) what risks will these pollutants pose to public health; and (5) what are the principal occupational health risks.