Texas residents have contamination concerns after solar panel's damaged

Thousands of solar panels in the Needville area were destroyed in a heavy hail storm on March 16 and residents are concerned about possible chemical contamination. FOX 26's Randy Wallace reports more after speaking to community members.

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[MarkTurner-vsuc]

Stupidity is running wild these days. Along with cowardice.

[ruds]

This isn't the 1st one destroyed by hail, and it won't be the last.

[americafirst]

Hail in Texas? Who would have thought?

(They were obviously not owned by locals.)

[kevinmiller]

If they did environmental impact studies why would they not simply send a copy when asked for them?

[alancummings]

A Solar Farm in TX. ? You kidding me, They get more Hail than any other State

[FunnyTCDTCDFunny]

So someone didn't think this through and now it will cost more to just replace them and clean the dirt ! Was it worth it ? Nope !

[ynotawoody]

Apparently, the financiers of “the Green New Deal” forgot to consult with “Mother Nature”.

[lakesnake]

So why is no one naming whatever toxic chemicals are alleged to be released by these solar panels ? I had damage to some of my solar panels due to hail and nothing leaked out of them whatsoever. In fact I was surprised that some of them still functioned after being damaged as bad as they were. They are silicon glass panels so I am curious as to what y'all are claiming is coming out of them. I enjoy the fact I still have power when the grid goes haywire AND in the summer I use the excess power generated to run my a/c. Solar works better for individuals than it does on a grid. Saves me money personally and not to sound like a jerk or anything....that's what matters to me. Y'all do whatever you want. That's why I live in the country....fewer people sticking their nose where it doesn't belong.

[whou]

So, the implied perspective from these concerned citizens, who are saying "I told you so" without the words, is that solar is more toxic than oil and gas and therefore this project, from an environmental standpoint at least, was a boondoggle.

[wb]

I was told by a worker who installs these panels on solar farms in my state of Virginia that the life span for a solar farm is approximately 30 years, unless something like this is thrown at it and in an instant a mult-million dollar boondoggle is up in smoke.

[theautoman]

People putting up these kinds of things in areas that get severe hail, tornados and hurricanes is just plain stupid!

[carrowcobb-cuyh]

Hailstorm like we never seen before? Really, it's Texas. We get one every single year. Build them stronger if you want to use them.

[lfw]

The solution will be to raise your taxes to conduct a study that will find taxes need to be raised to install a hail proof barrier over all solar panels.

[michaelspirit]

What chemicals are you vaguely alluding to???

[darrellsaunders]

Johnny Kerry and Albert Gore should clean it up

[danielschmitt]

Worried about chemical contamination in texas? I mean really?

[spiet]

And they want to build a massive solar farm on top of one of our main water supplies here in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan! It snows here 40% of the year, with at least one massive hail storm a summer! It just doesn't make sense!

[ebikesxs]

I'm not sure if there is a scientific reason tempered glass isn't used on solar panels. I ran a glass business for 15 years. I challenged lots of people to break a piece of 1/4 inch thick tempered glass with a hammer and they couldn't do it. Its surface strength is incredible and I'm sure people have seen cops trying to break out a car window with no success., that's about 3/16 of an inch thick. The Achilles heel of temp glass is on its edge, just a tap is all it takes to shatter it into hundreds of pieces. That can be protected.

[pamelaforrest]

the government is on break- please do not disturb them - when they return all their concentration will be on taxing ranchers for belching cows that are, in their opinion, destroying the environment

[johnsozio]

The chemicals they are concerned about will not leach out of the panels. They worst part for the environment is when they are manufactured.