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1. Hazardous Materials <br />One of the more common concerns towards solar is that the panels (referred to as "modules" in <br />the solar industry) consist of toxic materials that endanger public health. However, as shown in this <br />section, solar energy systems may contain small amounts of toxic materials, but these materials do not <br />endanger public health. To understand potential toxic hazards coming from a solar project, one must <br />understand system installation, materials used, the panel end -of -life protocols, and system operation. This <br />section will examine these aspects of a solar farm and the potential for toxicity impacts in the following <br />subsections: <br />(1.2) Project Installation/Construction <br />(1.2) System Components <br />1.2.1 Solar Panels: Construction and Durability <br />1.2.2 Photovoltaic technologies <br />(a) Crystalline Silicon <br />(b) Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) <br />(c) CIS/CIGS <br />1.2.3 Panel End of Life Management <br />1.2.4 Non -panel System Components <br />(1.3) Operations and Maintenance <br />1.1 Project Installation/Construction <br />The system installation, or construction, process does not require toxic chemicals or processes. <br />The site is mechanically cleared of large vegetation, fences are constructed, and the land is surveyed to <br />layout exact installation locations. Trenches for underground wiring are dug and support posts are driven <br />into the ground. The solar panels are bolted to steel and aluminum support structures and wired together. <br />Inverter pads are installed, and an inverter and transformer are installed on each pad. Once everything is <br />connected, the system is tested, and only then turned on. <br />Figure 1: Utility -scale solar facility (S MWAc) located in Catawba County. Source: Strata Solar <br />2 <br />