Solar energy not so green after all

http://news.yahoo.com/solar-industry-grapples-hazardous-wastes-184714679.html
Once the panels are used, they are pretty much TOXIC waste that cannot be readily disposed of in common landfills. This requires that they be trucked elsewhere at the costs of hundreds of tons of carbon footprint and a TON of money as well. Aren't we trying to lessen that?
Hmmm.
Solyndra, the now-defunct solar company that received $535 million in guaranteed federal loans, reported producing about 12.5 million pounds of hazardous waste, much of it carcinogenic cadmium-contaminated water, which was sent to waste facilities from 2007 through mid-2011.

Not only are we stuck with the bill for the failed Solyndra, we get the toxic waste bill for the cancer causing biproducts of this "green" energy.

I am not surprised at all

The wind technolgy has simply exploded over this country. I have never seen such a proliferation in just five years since I took this cross country route. It is unbelievable. I am particularly impressed with the high power lines which are being installed. Solar will drop in price, and this silly excericse of special interests trying to convince America that coal is our future have simply lost their minds as the real world economics have overpassed the fuzzy headed ivory tower folks which the special interests still try to convey, and you are finding hardcore business people who understand the worldwide consumption of energy and the resulting price creep. We are about to enter a period of temporary abundance of energy with what I am seeing throughout this country. The new oil rigs, wind turbines, and increasing solar installations are the American free market system working. The tax credits are the right way to stimulate development and improving technologies, just like our investment in rail in the 1860s.....our future is bright.

ZVUGKTUBM wrote:Solar Crossover occurs by 2015. What is "Solar Crossover?" It is the point where electricity generated from solar becomes cheaper than electricity generated from fossil fuels. It won't put utility companies out of business overnight, but it will change the operating paradigm. Homes with solar roofs will still need to be connected to the grid, but they will require less power from the utility. It will be a two-way thing. When people are not home and not using much power, they will contribute power to the grid, and their electric meter will run backwards. At night, when they are using more electricity and the solar roof is not functioning, the meter will forward. At the end of the month, they will either pay a smaller bill, or, if they have contributed more power to the grid than they have used, they will get a credit from the utility.

And you are correct. We are going to see a temporary abundance from now to near the end of the current century. Our unconventional shale oil and gas deposits--made commercially exploitable by only recent technology advances--are going to be a boon to our economy. As we near 2100, there will be a shift toward a primarily electrically-powered society, with solar and other renewable technologies providing much of the heavy-lifting.

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Personally, I do hope this comes to pass as your post articulates . . . .clean technology for homes will be finally affordable and begin a new era for our country . . . .. something we should all celebrate.