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Old 08-25-14, 09:59 PM   #27
NiHaoMike
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Cadmium telluride photovoltaics - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Quote:
Cadmium, a heavy metal considered a hazardous substance, is a waste byproduct of zinc refining therefore its production does not depend on PV market demand. CdTe PV modules provide a beneficial and safe use for cadmium that would otherwise be stored for future use or disposed of in landfills as hazardous waste. Mining byproducts can be converted into a stable CdTe compound and safely encapsulated inside CdTe PV solar modules for years. A large growth in the CdTe PV sector has the potential to reduce global cadmium emissions by displacing coal and oil power generation.
If that still bothers you, stick to the silicon based panels.

Also note that a lot of cordless power tools are still using NiCd batteries. Lithium works better and is less bad for the environment, but is flammable, requiring proper mitigation of the hazard. Really no different than advocating the use of hydrocarbon refrigerants to replace fluorocarbons. (And that unit in the video does not use hydrocarbons, just R134a.)

I strongly advocate repairing electronic stuff that is worth repairing and selling/donating the rest (uneconomical to repair or otherwise no longer useful to you) to the educational/DIY market. In particular, students can learn a lot repurposing old electronic stuff.
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