With solar energy changing into extra economical, fast to deploy and zero-emissions, it’s rapidly emerged as a winner within the power transition. Consequently, nations everywhere in the world are transferring to spice up their photo voltaic provide chains, together with attracting producers with subsidies and different incentives. But, because the race for photo voltaic domination intensifies, producers are more and more coming face-to-face with a brand new downside — the necessity to effectively handle and preserve freshwater sources to guard native communities, the atmosphere and their backside line.
It’s a problem that’s gaining mainstream prominence, and because the world’s freshwater sources proceed to dwindle, water-intensive industries like photo voltaic PV manufacturing are present process better scrutiny. A lot to their profit, nevertheless, producers now have entry to the up- and downstream water administration processes and applied sciences wanted to combine water conservation instantly into their amenities, giving them a strategy to cut back environmental impacts, decrease operational prices and future-proof operations from potential uptake limitations.
Photo voltaic manufacturing and water shortage intensify
The story of photo voltaic PV manufacturing is one among outstanding success and abundance, with annual manufacturing capability on observe to hit greater than 1,000 GW in 2024. Presently, over 80% of all polysilicon, wafer, cell and module growth happens in China, though the market is quickly diversifying into Western Europe, North America, South Asia, Africa and the Center East. Whereas many nations are present process an industrial renaissance because of photo voltaic PV manufacturing, they’re additionally dealing with an imminent water disaster.
By 2030, the demand for recent water is predicted to outstrip provide by almost 40%, with misplaced subsidies and industrial development being two of the main causes. On the identical time, 2023 was simply named the most well liked 12 months on file, placing additional stress on freshwater availability — a pattern that’s solely anticipated to worsen. Photo voltaic producers require recent water particularly because it accommodates little dissolved minerals, which reduces the danger of mineral deposits or corrosion that would have an effect on the effectivity and manufacturing yield of their merchandise. But, solely half of 1% of the world’s water provide is accessible as recent water, underscoring the significance of preserving it.
The significance of water conservation
Embracing water conservation merely is sensible, as industrial consumption is often first to be curtailed when water shortages strike. For photo voltaic producers which might be certain by inefficient water uptake and remedy processes, compelled downtime may very well be financially devastating, making proactivity essential.
Producers depend on water for a variety of functions, together with cleansing, cooling, etching and processing crystalline and thin-film photo voltaic panels. Giant gigafactories can use hundreds of thousands of gallons on daily basis, and on the identical time, produce substantial volumes of wastewater. Cleansing and etching photo voltaic PV programs, that are key to enhancing photo voltaic cell effectivity, generate reverse osmosis ion alternate regeneration focus wastes. Producing photo voltaic PV electrical contacts and wiring additionally creates wastewater, as important quantities of purifying solvents like nitric or hydrochloric acid should be used. The ensuing wastewater is extremely poisonous and requires remedy earlier than it may be reused or launched safely again into the atmosphere, making water recycling and purification for secondary and tertiary functions essential. Not solely does conservation considerably cut back general water consumption — thereby defending native communities and the atmosphere — nevertheless it additionally saves producers cash within the course of.
As one of many essential requirements for all times on Earth, recent water calls for cautious administration, particularly by heavy industrial customers like photo voltaic producers. Maximizing water conservation and decreasing crucial discharges will finally profit corporations, permitting them to keep away from regulatory restrictions and guarantee dependable manufacturing that may meet the calls for of right now’s bold builders.
Having the correct gear and programs in place to handle water successfully could make a world of distinction to producers’ resilience, profitability and company sustainability. The time is now for the photo voltaic sector to embrace water conservation.
