The school system should ask vendors of solar panels to provide basic record keeping in advance. This should be made public on the web.
Items to ask vendors to provide include a list of any toxic materials in their solar panels and the amounts of each. EPA indicates these can vary even for the same vendor and model. Vendors should provide a range and even the percentages above higher absolute values. As information is gathered, the school system might find certain absolute levels to ask for the percentage of panels above.
If a vendor goes bankrupt, the school system may have to dispose of the panels itself. It should ask in advance for all the information about toxic chemicals in the panels so that it could do the disposals according to state and federal laws. This should anticipate such laws getting stricter in the future. The record keeping needed is what will be required at the time of disposal in the future, which may require more information.
Vendors should be asked to provide any known information on leaking of toxic chemicals by each model. This includes any incidents of testing anywhere that the vendor sells or provides panels showing leaking. Vendors should be required to provide information on any cases they had to replace panels or remove them for leaking.
Similar information pertains to fires. Any known cases. If the fire started in the solar panel. If it spread to the solar panel. Did it spray toxic chemicals in a fire? Was any testing done afterwards? Similar reports should be required for thunderstorms. Have their solar panels been hit by lightening?
Solar panels do not turn off if the interrupt switch is thrown. The ability to cover the panels by a switch should be explored as a safety measure.
All information needed by the fire department for solar panels should be gathered.
Allianz, the largest insurance company in Germany recommends against home solar panels. The school system should ask insurers and reinsurers and others in the insurance industry for their view. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners or Casualty Actuary Society or similar groups may have information or gather it. The school system should ask its insurance companies to provide whatever information they have on solar panel safety through these venues.
There should be transparency so parents and employees know the panels are safe or if they are not. In addition, this information may help homeowners and local businesses understand the requirements for record keeping and the possible losses that may arise from solar panels.
Alternatives to putting solar panels on roofs are to put them on the ground on school property or even somewhere else. Power transmission with low losses is a proven technology. Solar panels might be put on land in the country where it is cheap and the power loss from transmission still small enough to be tolerable. In addition, schools might purchase certificates in solar panels of utilities or other vendors as a way to invest in the technology.
Total factor productivity bonds that try to increase long term productivity might also be used to fund solar panels in the safest and lowest loss exposure approach. Avoiding exposure to toxic chemicals will boost total factor productivity in the long run. That will benefit long term bonds with lower default rates and thus lower costs of borrowing.
Because of large underfunded teacher and school employee pension plans, we can’t afford a toxic leak problem from solar panels. If it went undetected for years, it could lead to financial claims, clean up costs, loss of use of buildings, etc. This is more uncertainty than risk. Uncertainty is when you don’t know the odds. So we have to work on record keeping and some testing and vendor transparency on solar panels. We have to investigate less risky choices like putting the solar panels on the ground.
