Can quartz sand be used as a raw material for solar panels?

The potential for quartz sand in Indonesia is quite abundant, but the use of quartz sand as raw material for solar panels is still not too massive. Suppose we can maximize the potential of quartz sand as raw material for solar panels.

How sand is used to make solar panels?

To build solar panels, silica-rich sand must be extracted from natural deposits, such as sand mines or quarries, where the sand is often composed of quartz, a form of crystalline silica. The sand is washed to remove impurities like clay, organic matter, and other minerals. It is then refined with chemical processing methods.

Can quartz sand be used for solar panels in Indonesia?

The presence of silicon in nature is rarely found in its free form but can be found in the form of silica compounds (SiO2) in quartz minerals. The potential for quartz sand in Indonesia is quite abundant, but the use of quartz sand as raw material for solar panels is still not too massive.

Do solar cells need silica sand?

Ultimately, every solar cell begins its life as quartz sand. Also known as silica sand, quartz sand consists of at least 95% pure silicon dioxide, which is also known as silica or as SiO 2. But we don’t need silica for solar cells, but silicon, which means we need to get rid of the oxygen, to leave behind pure silicon.

What is quartz sand?

Quartz sand is a sand that consists of at least 95% silica (SiO 2) and no more than 0.6% iron oxide. A sand of this purity is what you need to start with when you want to extract out the silicon that you can use to make the silicon wafers that serve as the core of solar cells. Ultimately, every solar cell begins its life as quartz sand.

Can silica sand be used as a raw material for solar panels?

In addition, silicon extracted from very high purity silica sand can be used as raw material for solar panels because it has high energy conversion efficiency, relatively low production costs compared to using other elements, is abundant quantities in nature, is environmentally friendly, and shows long-term stability (Xakalashe, 2012).