ABSTRACT
The photovoltaic technologies have distinct environmental advantages over conventional technologies for electricity generation. The photovoltaic (PV) industry exercises continuing vigilance to minimize the risks of hazardous substances, and has adopted a proactive, long-term environmental strategy to prevent potential environmental damage by products and processes. Commercial crystalline-silicon solar cells are primarily of the single-crystal and polycrystalline type. The occupational health and environmental issues related to the PV technologies are examined. The environmental issues are the generation of liquid and solid waste during wafer slicing, cleaning, and etching; gas emissions and liquid and solid waste generated during solar cell processing; and the production of solid waste during module assembly. The PV industry and the United States Department of Environment have followed a proactive long-term environmental strategy to preserve the environmental friendliness of solar cells. A discussion on environmental issues related to PV would be incomplete without highlighting the environmental benefits of the technology.
