Solar Panel Conflict Minerals

However the emergence or exacerbation of fragility conflict and violence along the supply chains of the minerals needed to produce these technologies could threaten the overall green nature of this transition.

Solar panel conflict minerals.

A new report by the french environment and energy management agency ademe shows that rare earth minerals are not widely used in solar energy and battery storage technologies. Several of the 35 mineral commodities listed as critical by the department of the interior play an important role in solar panels where the sun s energy is transformed to electricity. Silver used as a conductor in solar panels has already seen solar pv s share of the market grow dramatically in recent years increasing by 43 per cent between 2015 and 2016 alone. Sonnedix was asked by jpmam to evaluate how and to what degree conflict minerals specifically tantalum tin gold and tungsten are present in sonnedix s supply chain and how this should be considered and addressed in its business.

The growing use of solar panels electric vehicles and wind turbines is a necessary part of tackling climate change. Photovoltaic cell diagram arsenic high purity arsenic is used to produce gallium arsenide. The silicon valley toxics coalition produces a solar scorecard which aims to rank major panel producers on a host of issues including conflict mineral certification. But poor and opaque management of the minerals needed for these green energy technologies from the mine site to the end customer could fuel fragility conflict and violence a new report by the international institute for sustainable development says.

Green energy technologies like wind turbines solar panels and evs will undoubtedly aid the transition to a low carbon economy. Sunpower corporation and all of its subsidiaries collectively sunpower are committed to human rights and as such are focused on the elimination of human trafficking and slavery from its. In this guide we investigate score and rank the ethical and environmental record of 17 solar panels. Companies can earn points on the solar scorecard by providing documentation that they do not use conflict minerals or by showing they have started to.

Read sunpower s conflict minerals policy and learn about our commitment to transparency corporate social responsibility and responsible sourcing. The conflict minerals issue is a case in point. Analysis by levin sources suggests solar pv growth could increase strain on the supply of several minerals. Solar panels wind turbines batteries.

Some solar panels are made with rare metals mined in african countries by terrorist and rebel groups that sell the materials to finance war efforts.