Apple reveals solar energy plans for North Carolina data center

Data centers in general aren't environmentally friendly due to the amount of power needed to keep them running and to keep the servers cool.

[Eric]

This is exactly what everybody is expecting from a leading country. The USA is on the right track to be sample for the world.

[Don-N-Kansas]

I wonder where Apple and "the USA" are procuring their solar panels?

Hopefully from a US manufacturer, however as one of the biggest suppliers of raw materials to construct solar panels happens to be China, constructing a facility using solar panels made in, or with materials purchased from China, this might wind up being a double edged sword.

Particularly considering how any money saved by going "green" will most likely be given to China.

And any environmental uptick here will probably be negated in China, one of the worst polluting and ecologically unfriendly nations on the planet, as it builds more solar panels to sell.

At least that's my thoughts on the subject.

[Kalis]

Don-N-Kansas wrote:

And any environmental uptick here will probably be negated in China, one of the worst polluting and ecologically unfriendly nations on the planet, as it builds more solar panels to sell.
At least that's my thoughts on the subject.

As long as they keep it in China, who cares. They are very good at killing their own people already.

[Don-N-Kansas]

Kalis wrote:

<quoted text>As long as they keep it in China, who cares. They are very good at killing their own people already.

That's the problem with air pollution, water pollution; polluting the oceans... it never stays in one area.

[jake the snake]

Don-N-Kansas wrote:

<quoted text>
That's the problem with air pollution, water pollution; polluting the oceans... it never stays in one area.

That's ok since i don't drink sea water. The air here is fine...

[Don-N-Kansas]

jake the snake wrote:

<quoted text>That's ok since i don't drink sea water. The air here is fine...

Do you eat fish - do you breath? After all, scientists believe ocean life forms produce 50 to 85 of the worlds oxygen supply.

I'm not a 'greenie', but even I suspect, if every country has the same ecological trends as China - we'd all be that much closer to a global ecological crisis.

Who wouldn't be at least a little concerned about that?

[jake the snake]

Don't eat fish.....just more fear mongering. The sky ain't fallin.....

[Don-N-Kansas]

jake the snake wrote:

Don't eat fish.....just more fear mongering. The sky ain't fallin.....

Never said the sky was falling and like I said I'm not a "greenie" but even non greenies know China is one of the most irresponsible places on Earth when it comes to environmental protections, and the more things we buy from China, the more they produce and the more they produce the more they pollute.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to follow that line of reasoning.

[jake the snake]

Like i said......don't care.

[Don-N-Kansas]

jake the snake wrote:

Like i said......don't care.

Hmm, interesting ~

Someone who appears to profess “green” solar powered energy is a great idea, which is after all the topic of this discussion…

But at the same time, states they don’t care if the world winds up being toxic as a result.

So WHY exactly are you such a big fan of solar energy?

[WildBill]

No evidence has been given that solar energy is or ever has been toxic......just your speculation at work.

[Don-N-Kansas]

PV-Cell.com wrote:

PV solar cell materials

Solar cells of the more efficient types use materials such as gallium and arsenic which are both toxic. PV cells which rely on polymers also require petrochemical inputs to make the plastics.

Additionally the usage of rare materials such as gallium, palladium and gold; even in minute quantities, creates potential supply issues. While silicon is abundant, the materials used in the coatings are not. The circuits also tend to rely on toxic materials such as arsenic, which is incredibly toxic as a waste material. The toxicity issue affects all stages from harvesting, to manufacturing and eventually disposal of the discarded cells. As demand increases, the relative scarcity of these elements will rapidly become apparent, and secondary ecological concerns are a hazard..

http://www.pv-cell.com/articles/27597/pv-cell...

Solar cells are constructed using toxic materials, most or which are available in abundance only from China so far.

China’s mining of these toxic materials, lays waste to vast areas in China, and like I mentioned pollution in China doesn’t necessarily stay in China particularly when that pollution makes it into water ways or the ocean.

So it doesn’t really matter if we buy solar cells from China, or just the raw materials to make solar cells over here there are drawbacks either way.

Then there is the problem of disposing of worn out solar cells and all the toxic materials they contain ~

Solar power is a great idea – so long as we don’t need to build new solar cells or dispose of old ones.

I’m not a “greenie”, nor am I “anti-green”, I guess people would call me a pragmatist,

I won’t tend to jump to anything until I consider all available factors, good & bad and seriously weigh those factors.

Quote:“Pros & Cons of Solar Energy”
http://www.clean-energy-ideas.com/articles/pr...

[Don-N-Kansas]

WildBill wrote:

No evidence has been given that solar energy is or ever has been toxic......just your speculation at work.

You were saying?

[Hondo]

"Solar cells of the more efficient types use materials such as gallium and arsenic which are both toxic. PV cells which rely on polymers also require petrochemical inputs to make the plastics." The gallium and arsenic are only used for panels flown in space. They are not sold for public use. No big deal about the plastic since it is used in EVERYTHING.
You were saying ??

[The-- Terminator]

The author here is not very well versed in solar energy or manufacturing . The panels used for satellites and probes do have exotic materials in their makeup and are high efficiency . Panels or cells used to build them for use here on the ground are of a different type. I would love to have a few GaAs modules but they are hard to come by and expensive.

[The-- Terminator]

http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Solar-Cell.ht...

[Don-N-Kansas]

So it would appear my initial assessment and information may have been wrong...

I will never be upset for having someone offer correction if I am wrong... and will always be appreciative to anyone who can expand my understanding and point me to the truth.

Thanks for the thoughtful informative replies.