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Post Info TOPIC: Solar panel manufacturers need carbon inputs
dorian


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Solar panel manufacturers need carbon inputs
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This came as a big surprise to me. Apparently we need a source of carbon, eg coal or timber, to make silicon for solar panels. WTF?

 

Silicon manufacturer may be forced to import coal as jarrah supply, a key input, dwindles:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-17/silicon-manufacturer-may-have-to-import-coal-low-jarrah-supply/101060874

Australia's only silicon manufacturer may be forced to import coal as it struggles to secure a consistent supply of local timber to make its product. 

Simcoa, based in Western Australia's south-west, would normally rely on charcoal derived from local jarrah to produce its high-grade silicon. But due to the flow-on effects from a WA government decision to end the harvesting of native forests by 2024, the company said it only had access to half the amount it usually would.

Simcoa's director of operations David Miles said without a suitable alternative, the company might have to triple the amount of coal it imported to keep running at full tilt.

Mr Miles said if they could not secure a consistent supply of timber, the company would have to import high volumes of coal from Colombia the only country with a high enough quality product suitable for silicon manufacturing.

 

How is timber related to solar panels?

A source of carbon is required in order to manufacture high-grade silicon, a key input used in solar panels. This carbon source can be derived either directly from coal or through turning wood into charcoal through a heating process. 



-- Edited by dorian on Tuesday 17th of May 2022 09:09:20 AM

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Whenarewethere


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Maybe they need to also import it for anodes for the aluminium smelter pot lines. The anodes are baked in massive underground ovens for a month at over 1000°C to remove all impurities.

There are typically 14 anodes per pot which are each replaced over a 2 week cycle. Times about 120 pots per smelter line. The numbers are frightening!



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Tony Bev


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Simcoa is situated in my general area

They had known for at least twenty years, (if not longer), that they were depleting the Jarrah trees

They probably just forgot to either plant their own, or pay someone else to plant them

Hopefully in the future, we shall make solar cells in Australia, using silicon from Simcoa, made from old Jarrah trees, while the young ones are growing

In the same industrial area, they are upgrading a battery grade lithium, processing plant

Link below
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-05-16/lithium-expansion-again-for-albemarle/101068890

It is a pity that we are not going to make our own lithium batteries



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