As of 2022, 72% of utility scale solar photovoltaic projects use crystalline silicon (c-Si) and 27% use cadmium telluride (CdTe). Both are tremendously safe to the surrounding environment.
Crystalline Silicon Solar Panels
- c-Si modules are 77% glass, 10% aluminum, 3% silicon and 9% polymers, with less than 1% copper, silver and tin, and less than 0.1% lead.
- Silicon is the second most abundant element on earth, trailing only oxygen.
- Silicon is the most common semiconductor material used in computer chips, cell phones, and other consumer electronics. (https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/solar-photovoltaic-cell-basics)
Cadmium Telluride Solar Panels
- CdTe modules are 80-85% glass, 11-14% aluminum, 2-4% polymers, less than 0.4% copper, and less than 0.1% tellurium and cadmium.
- Cadmium telluride is a compound that is 99% less toxic than elemental cadmium and has a melting point of nearly 2000 Fahrenheit.
- Cadmium telluride is a stable compound that does not dissolve in water, preventing leaching and groundwater contamination. (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1557/JMR.1998.0376)