Although wind and solar have been promoted as environmentally friendly, especially when compared to fossil fuels, they certainly don’t come without a price. Take for example a solar energy plant. Once in place, a solar energy plant has relatively little impact on the environment, but the problem comes from what it takes to build that solar energy plant.
Photovoltaic cells which are used for solar are made out of silicon. Although silicon is abundant in the Earth’s crust, it takes a large amount of electricity to create the cells. So in order to create solar energy, fossil fuels must be used. In addition, to make these cells from raw silicon takes the use of many corrosive and toxic materials. When used, these materials can emit harmful gasses into the air.
While some of the chemicals it takes to create PV cells are recyclable, many companies opt not to recycle them due to the cost of the recycling. There are also concerns about the wastewater production that is left behind and a few companies have opted to dump the water instead of treating it properly, which takes more money. The wastewater is damaging to the environment and can be associated with health concerns.
Some companies are moving their production to Iceland, an island abundant in geothermal and hydroelectric power. So not only is it cheaper to produce the PV cells, but it requires about one-third of the energy when produced in Iceland. While this is a good start, there is still a long way to go.
When it comes to wind energy, although it does have an impact, that impact is much less than solar. What concerns many environmental groups is the impact wind turbines have on migratory birds and bats. The turbines are killing birds and bats, and in some locations, and some estimates say they are killing thousands each year. Many of these deaths are due to poor planning of the wind farms, such as by putting too many turbines close together.
When it comes to gas turbine silencers, equipment, and service, Central Metal Fabricators understands the needs of its customers. Turbine silencers help to curb noise pollution in turbines in an effort to comply with local or state guidelines on noise for safety and health reasons. At Central Metal Fabricators we invite you to contact us to discuss your metal fabricating needs and to learn more about our turbine silencers.