Estimation of possible volumes of solar panel waste generation in the Republic of Uzbekistan

¹ International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Osiyo Street 6, 100000 Tashkent, Uzbekistan
² Termez Institute of Engineering and Technology, 288A Islam Karimov Street, 190100 Termez, Uzbekistan

^* Corresponding author: erenlkoenig@mail.ru

Abstract

This article is devoted to discussing the issue of solar panel waste in connection with the growing share of solar energy in the Republic of Uzbekistan. The main causes of solar panel failure are end of life, failures during normal operation, and weather-related emergencies. The climatic conditions of Uzbekistan were studied and it was found that in some regions of the country there are strong winds, which are a potential danger for solar panels. Calculations showed that the probability of destructive winds is 0.00045, which can lead to emergency destruction of panels (up to 1,224 tonnes of waste per lifetime). High air dustiness can cause increased water consumption for cleaning the panels (68 times the design flow rate) and consequently an increase in the volume of polluted wastewater. Thus, it is clear that the problem of waste associated with solar energy development has not yet been adequately addressed. In order to take timely action, it is necessary to develop appropriate regulatory documents for accounting and handling of solar energy waste.