The dark side of the sun

As solar panels are getting more popular, I'm starting to see them on rooftops all over the city. I support efforts to reduce carbon output, but people often look at me as though I have two heads when I say I have mixed feelings toward solar generated electricity. How could I possibly have a problem with pollution-free, renewable energy?

What many people often miss in all the hyper-marketing is the dark side of the sun. My first complaint is that the focus on renewable energy diverts attention away from the much more difficult task of energy reduction. The idea of pollution-free energy relieves guilt when lights are left on upstairs while playing with our gaming systems on our plasma TVs downstairs.

My second complaint is that there really is no such thing as 'free' energy, and it certainly is not ‘pollution-free’. It takes a lot of energy to produce the photovoltaic (PV) cells to begin with, not to mention the waste the cells themselves become at the end of their lives. These issues are often ignored by the advocates of solar power. If I took the many adverts at face value, I would think that it makes absolutely no pollution at all to harvest the sun’s energy.

Most distressing to me are the consequences of large-scale adoption of photovoltaic cells. An increasing number of PV cells on the market are made of Cadmium telluride. While they do not pose a human health risk during the useful life of the device, I am concerned about what happens to the PV cells after the useful life. In all likelihood, today's PV cells will become tomorrow landfill waste. As these cells hit the landfills and become saturated by leachate, the liquid that slowly forms in landfills, the cadmium in the cells will have ample opportunity to leach out of the glass and into the soil and aquifers.
Cadmium is a known carcinogen. If widely adopted and distributed, PV cells leave precious groundwater highly vulnerable to contamination. So far, Ontario has no mandated recycling programs for PV cells. The lack of a containment plan for all this cadmium leaves me wondering what type of mess future generations will inherit. Is society trading off the future of water security for cheap, guilt-free energy now?
While I’d like to see my society become less dependent on fossil fuels, the full speed ahead rampage towards green energy is leaving out vital information for Canadians. So far, very few people, business or government, are talking about the risks and downsides of various renewable energy sources. All the advertising is about the positives points of solar leaving consumers with a euphoric sense of guilt free consumption.

A frank and honest discussion must take place, openly telling Canadians what the risks associated to harvesting ‘free energy’ from the sun for electrical needs really are. In my opinion, all this talk of ‘renewable’ energy has hijacked the effort to reduce energy consumption while glossing over any negative side effects. Without an effort to substantially reduce energy consumption, investments in alternative energy will amount to little more than lip service to the environment as one form of pollution is traded for another.

Chaos and Anarchy

Isn’t it amazing how lights turn on when you flick the switch? Engines start when you turn the key? And how about the gas that flows when you squeeze the pump?

The Ontario blackout of 2003 brought out the best in a lot of people. I saw bikers directing traffic, motorists giving stranded commuters rides, and many other random acts of kindness. In retrospect, the acts of kindness weren’t really that random. It was people banding together in times of need. Despite all the good cheer, I also heard horror stories of people taking advantage of the situation. The local convenience store was selling water at $3 a bottle and gas prices went through the roof at the few places that had operating pumps. You can always count on someone to benefit in the free market.

That was losing only one of our energy sources and only for a few days. More recently, an oil refinery catches fire and petro supplies run low and look at the chaos in the streets of Toronto. One can hardly find gas anywhere in the city. There are mass queues at the few stations that still have gas and the atmosphere is hardly cordial.

For those of you who have read Isaac Asimov’s “Nightfall” you know I’m talking about but everyone else can imagine with me. How would Canadians react if our dependable and largely abundant energy supply disappeared? Would we still have a society civilized enough to stop at intersections and open doors for each other? Cars would stop running and lights would not work. How will we get food, or water (you can assume that municipal water supply will likely dry up as well)? Will ladies still be first or every man for himself? Would currency be worthless? Would governments collapse? Would chaos and anarchy take over?

Our infinite supply of cheap energy might not be so infinite. When it runs out, will our first world reality turn into the third world we only see on TV? It won’t take a comet falling from the sky or a nuclear war to usher in chaos and anarchy. Next time you are gassing up your SUV imagine what you would do if the gas stopped flowing and the lights stopped working. We need to wean ourselves off our high energy consuming lifestyles before the decision is made for us.

I’m going to go get gas now…