In Japan, the annual number of solar panels discarded as waste is seen peaking at some 500,000 tons in the early 2040s, putting a major strain on industrial waste treatment facilities. So, the government concluded that mandatory recycling is necessary. It also planned to submit legislation to establish a recycling system for the waste.
However, on August 29, the Japanese government has announced that it has decided not to make it mandatory to recycle used solar panels, because the design of the recycling system has been difficult due to the lack of coordination on who will bear the cost of recycling the panels. As of last year, the environment ministries announced a plan to have panel makers and importers cover the recycling expenses and solar power facility owners pay the demolition costs. However, the Cabinet Legislation Bureau held up on the grounds that it would be inconsistent with other recycling laws, such as those for automobiles and home appliances, for which the owner pays.
Rumors are circulating on the Internet that this is because of pressure from the Chinese supplier of the concession. According to a survey by Sankei Shimbun, about 95% of solar panels shipped in Japan in 2024 are made overseas, and over 80% of these are made in China. So these rumors may not be just rumors?
The initial cost of solar panels is high, electricity costs are not low, and the production and processing of solar panels causes environmental pollution. Solar energy is also intermittent and unreliable, requires investment in redundant backup power or expensive batteries, requires vast amounts of land compared to coal, natural gas, and nuclear power technologies, and seems wasteful given that it operates for half or less than half the life of conventional power generation technologies. We should re-evaluate whether the globalists’ “net zero” is really for our sake and for the earth’s sake.
Reference:
- https://www.sankei.com/article/20250521-ECFPOHU7SNIO5NEHCYLKINKXDU/
- https://sanseito.jp/news/n4228/
- https://financial-field.com/household/entry-343266
- https://www.japantimes.co.jp/environment/2024/05/26/energy/megasolar-opposition-solutions/
- https://www.instituteforenergyresearch.org/renewable/solar/solar-powers-future-in-the-u-s-may-be-in-jeopardy/
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