Not Enough Silver For Solar Panels

The debate over carbon emissions and the switch to green energy is usually fought over whether or not green energy is the best way to help the environment or whether it is a cost effective way of doing so.

Not enough silver for solar panels.

The average efficiency of solar panels falls between the 17 to 19 percent efficiency range. Silver is expensive producers are looking for alternative sources. Silver is an important part of the solar panel industry. We might not have enough materials for all the solar panels and wind turbines we need we ll need to be mining a dozen times as many metals to meet demand for wind turbines and solar panels by 2050.

I expect solar panel use and therefore silver use to continue growing. How much silver does a solar panel use. Solar panels have been consistently increasing in efficiency at about 5 annually since 2010. Without silver solar panels could not be as efficient in turning sunlight into usable energy.

That might not sound like a lot but at around 20 an. Demand set to peak at 83 mln oz in 2016 gfms 500 000 solar panels a day installed last year iea graphic industrial silver demand 2016 reut rs 2gywovv graphic solar demand for silver reut. The highest efficiency solar panels on the market today can reach almost 23 percent efficiency. Factors that affect solar panel efficiency.

Switching to 100 solar power is impossible there s not enough silver on planet earth. An average solar panel uses some 20 grams or 0 643 troy ounces of silver. Shining a light on silver in solar. Two thirds of an ounce of silver in every solar panel may not sound costly given today s silver spot price.

Even after factoring in an assumed quadrupling of solar panel efficiency there is still not enough silver on earth to convert to a 100 solar powered economy.