Solar is “green” but it is not yet “clean.”

Energy generation is the largest contributor to global warming. Solar energy affords a clean, carbon-free, method for creating heat and electricity to power our lives.

Solar is:

Yet solar technologies currently on the market are comprised of hazardous substances, rare minerals, and could lead to environmental degradation.

As You Sow’s Clean Solar Production Program will move the needle so that more solar manufacturers implement Best Known Methods to mitigate the environmental and occupational safety risks involved in production.

As You Sow has embarked on a four-stage process to engage the solar industry:

1) As You Sow is mapping the processes of the four primary photo-voltaic supply chains:

Our goal is to identify the best practices to protect workers handling hazardous substances, dispose of waste and other byproducts in such ways to minimize harm to local environments, reduce use of and implement alternatives to toxic materials and rare metals, and design for end-of-life recycling.

2) Creating and administering a survey to solar companies that collects data on which companies are using Best Known Methods in their manufacturing, waste disposal, and recycling.

3) Writing and publishing a report that highlights Best Practices in each of the main PV technologies and challenges facing manufacturing going forward (ie: materials reduction to mitigate resource constraints, improved recycling to minimize the need for virgin materials, etc.)

4) Shareholder engagement with companies who do not use Best Known Methods to encourage them to improve environmental and occupational safety practices, implement recycling programs, source from post-consumer (or post-industrial) materials, etc.