The generation of electricity from photovoltaic (PV) solar panels is safe and effective. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, few power-generating technologies have as little environmental impact as PV solar panels. Because PV systems do not burn fuels, they do not produce toxic air emissions or greenhouse gas emissions associated with conventional fossil fuel-fired generation technologies.

Ground-mounted PV solar arrays are made of panels of silicon solar cells covered by a thin layer of protective glass, which is attached to an inert solid underlying substance (or “substrate”). The most common type of PV panel is made of tempered glass, which is very strong. They pass hail tests and are regularly installed in Arctic and Antarctic conditions. Because PV panel materials are enclosed, and do not mix with water, there is little to no risk of chemical releases to the environment during normal use. Photovoltaic solar panels are designed to operate for decades without corrosion and have been operating as such around the world for decades. If a solar panel does crack, it is designed so that it will not shatter and scatter debris but will remain in one piece, much like a cracked windshield. In the rare instance that a panel does become cracked, it will be replaced immediately.

The Projects have chosen a technology to be safe to groundwater. They will be using crystalline silicone photovoltaic panels. The components of these panels are silicone, a food-safe polymer (EVA), glass, and an aluminum frame, none of which are hazardous, nor will they dissolve and enter the water supply.

Further, the Projects are not located over, or immediately adjoining, a primary, principal, or sole source aquifer and must comply with all federal, state, and local regulations to ensure that public water supplies, wetlands, and other water resource areas are properly protected. Care has been taken to design the Projects to avoid impacts to wetlands and waterbodies.

Yes, solar PV systems are designed to have several options to shut off the system in the event of an emergency. They have multiple protection systems such as reclosers installed both on the utility and customer side with easily accessible switches. There are also additional systems to shut down the generation at the inverter and transformers and the utility has designed the interconnection scheme considering anti-islanding protection, etc. Furthermore, the system has electronic monitoring with the ability to detect different types of faults or extreme weather conditions and automatically engage a specific mode of operation to shut down the generation if necessary.

Although a very rare occurrence, if a solar panel receives a direct hit by lightning, it can sustain damage to its electronic components and may lead to short-circuit failures in the system. Repair or replacement of damaged electronic components would be required.

Through the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Community Solar Program, New Yorkers can subscribe to the community solar project and receive credits on your regular electric bill for the clean energy produced by solar projects. Everyone, including renters and co-op/condo owners, can save money by accessing the clean energy produced by these solar farms. To learn more about the Community Solar Program, visit the NYSERDA website for additional information.

For a detailed explanation of how it all works, we suggest checking out this video from TED-Ed.

Herbicides, pesticides, and cleaning chemicals will not be used during construction or during operation and maintenance of the Project. Vegetation will be primarily maintained via mowing, weeding, watering, pruning, and fertilizing. The typical frequency and amount of rainfall in New York State is adequate to clean any debris from solar panels. If an unusual amount of sediment accumulates on the panels, water or mild soap and water is sufficient to clean them.

Yes, solar panels can be recycled. Diverting solar panels from landfills to recycling saves space in landfills and captures the value of reusing the raw materials.

Crystalline-silicon solar technology represents most of the solar panel market share. This type of panel is constructed with an aluminum frame, glass, copper wire, polymer layers, silicon solar cells, and a plastic junction box. Many of these components can be recycled. Glass composes most of the weight of a solar panel (about 75 percent), and glass recycling is already a well-established industry. Other materials that are easily recyclable include the aluminum frame, copper wire, and plastic junction box.

Other components of a solar power system may include inverters, racking, and battery backup systems, which may also be recycled. Inverters may be able to be recycled with electronic waste, and racking may be recycled with similar scrap metals.

The Projects are not expected to produce noise that would adversely impact the neighbors. Inverters are typically louder than transformers, though neither produce sounds above normal ambient levels. Together, the sound at the property line is estimated to approximate that of a typical human conversation, or between 50 and 65 decibels.

The average expected lifespan of solar panels is 25 - 30 years, but it’s possible that they can produce electricity for longer than that. Just like a lot of other equipment, solar panels don’t perform at 100% for their entire life and then just stop working in year 30. Instead, solar panels degrade over time at a very slow rate and produce less electricity as they age. The panels will continue to produce energy for many years to come but at a lower efficiency level, which is why they will likely either be replaced or recycled.