There is a foul stench in the air, and it is permeating from our own hypocrisy. Our reliance on imported solar panels is doing more harm than good. It is time we reassess this practice while keeping an open mind to potential solutions. For instance, the new tariffs on Chinese imported solar photovoltaics have caused quite a stir among my fellow environmentalists. While he may regularly deny climate change and assault science as a whole, President Trump seems to be bumbling his way toward an indirectly pro-environment policy. I am not here to discuss irrational fears of a global decrease in solar demand. Rather, I believe that we may finally have a situation where everyone wins. Though the president is no champion of health and safety regulations, the U.S. has a far better track record in managing emissions and industrial waste than China. By bringing solar manufacturing jobs back to American soil, we can ensure its responsible production while bolstering the U.S. economy and protecting the Earth’s fragile ecosystems.
Our oceans play what is possibly the most important role in preserving the habitability of our planet. Unfortunately, large sea vessels are responsible for several types of pollution that is harmful to this delicate environment. While container ships may be the most carbon-efficient form of transportation today, the future does not look as bright for the industry. A recent study by the European Parliament projects shipping emissions to increase by 250% by 2050 which would make the industry responsible for 17% of global CO2 discharge. Of course, there are other ecological effects that must be considered when it comes to the shipping industry. For instance, underwater noise pollution has been shown to have detrimental effects on marine life. These sounds have shown to have adverse effects on the ability for whales to reproduce, feed, and defend against predation. By reducing the demand for overseas goods, we are doing more for our planet than simply cutting back on emissions. We are also helping protect the planet's most vital and bio-diverse ecosystem.
The entire concept of transporting solar panels from one industrial nation to another is flawed and can have an overall negative effect on the environment. When solar photovoltaics are manufactured in areas that rely heavily on carbon-intense energy to run their factories, such as China, only to then export the product without investing in their own green-energy infrastructure, the carbon footprint of the cells are double those manufactured in areas with a less carbon-intense infrastructure. However, if a nation is manufacturing and installing its solar panels domestically, the payback rate is much faster. With solar panel manufacturing moving back to the U.S., perhaps China will take the opportunity to invest in its own infrastructure. As of November, 2017, China is on track to increase its “solar power capacity to 55 gigawatts.” The excess supply of Chinese solar panels will only increase their own clean energy projects while allowing them to focus on emerging markets in developing nations around the world.
The proper disposal of hazardous chemical waste is one of the biggest concerns when it comes to manufacturing solar photovoltaics. Lax oversight and regulations can have serious consequences. For instance, in 2011, Chinese solar panel manufacturer Jinko Solar Holding Co. was responsible for severe ecological damage after failing to contain and properly dispose of hydrofluoric acid which is a key chemical in solar panel production. This resulted the death of fish numbering in the thousands of kilograms in the nearby river, due to fluoride levels that exceeded permitted levels by a factor of ten. Consequentially, the pollutants have affected the agricultural economy, leading the locals to refrain from drinking well water and eating locally grown rice. Ineffective government oversight by the Chinese Environmental Protection Bureau eventually led villagers to clash with police and security forces. It was reported that at least 500 participated in a heated protest that resulted in the arrest of 20 villagers. This lack of oversight is all too common in countries like China, where poor enforcement of regulations allows for economic hyperactivity at the expense of human health and the environment.
Failing to recognize these issues give the coal-burning, oil-drilling naysayers a valid opportunity to point out the hypocrisy in our fight for a cleaner planet. How can we be true to our environmentalist ideals when our actions, indirect as they may be, say otherwise? After all, it is our demand for foreign goods that perpetuate unregulated industrial pollution. Supporting American solar manufacturing provides us with an opportunity to lead by example with a clean conscience. Therefore, rather than view these tariffs as another point of division in our nation, we should take them as a unifying cause in which both sides of our geopolitical landscape win: guilt-free, truly green energy -- made in America.
References
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Cames, Martin, et al. Emission Reduction Targets for International Aviation and Shipping. ENVI Committee, 2015, Emission Reduction Targets for International Aviation and Shipping, www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2015/569964/IPOL_STU(2015)569964_EN.pdf.
Maggs, John. “Shipping Emissions 17% of Global CO2, Making It the Elephant in the Climate Negotiations Room.” Transport & Environment, European Federation for Transport and Environment AISBL, 23 Nov. 2015, www.transportenvironment.org/press/shipping-emissions-17-global-co2-making-it-elephant-climate-negotiations-room.
Sonic Sea: Impacts of Noise on Marine Mammals, International Fund for Animal Welfare, www.sonicsea.org/sites/default/files/IFAW_OceanNoiseReport_WEB_spreads.pdf.
Mulvaney, Dustin. “Solar Energy Isn't Always as Green as You Think.” IEEE Spectrum: Technology, Engineering, and Science News, IEEE Spectrum, 13 Nov. 2014, spectrum.ieee.org/green-tech/solar/solar-energy-isnt-always-as-green-as-you-think.
Shen, Feifel. “China on Pace for Record Solar-Power Installations.” Bloomberg.com, Bloomberg, 20 Nov. 2017, www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-11-20/china-on-pace-for-record-solar-installations-as-forecasts-jump.
Dawei, Yu. “A Darker Side of Chinese Clean-Tech.” 中外对话 China Dialogue, 中外对话 China Dialogue, 14 Oct. 2011, www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/4583-A-darker-side-of-Chinese-clean-tech.
Image Citation
Image of Solar Panel With Green American Flag. Texas Vox, Cameron Woolf, 7 Jul. 2014, http://www.texasvox.org/u-s-solar-manufacturing-make-comeback/.