SE Engr. Solar Policy, Economics, and Sustainability 5

Question 1

Across their life cycle, how do the greenhouse gas emissions of crystalline silicon PV typically compare with coal generation?

Accepted Answer

Roughly 20-50 gCO2e/kWh versus about 800-1,000 gCO2e/kWh

Answer

Harmonized LCAs, such as NREL's, put c-Si PV at tens of grams per kWh, compared with roughly 1,000 for coal.

Question 2

Which part of a crystalline silicon module makes up the largest share of its mass and is the main material recovered in recycling?

Accepted Answer

Glass

Answer

Glass makes up about 70-75% of a c-Si module's weight.

Question 3

Some PV modules that fail toxicity testing may be managed as hazardous waste in the U.S. under which federal law?

Accepted Answer

Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)

Answer

RCRA governs hazardous waste, and modules that fail TCLP testing for metals like lead or cadmium fall under it.

Question 4

Which U.S. law creates a presumption that goods made wholly or partly in Xinjiang were made with forced labor, which affects polysilicon supply chains?

Accepted Answer

Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA)

Answer

UFLPA lets CBP detain solar imports unless importers can show their supply chains are free of forced labor.

Question 5

Which IEEE standard sets interconnection and interoperability requirements for distributed energy resources such as PV inverters?

Accepted Answer

IEEE 1547

Answer

IEEE 1547-2018 covers DER interconnection, including ride-through and voltage/frequency support.

SE Engr. - Solar Energy Engineering Certification Practice Test

SE Engr. - Solar Energy Engineering Certification Practice Test

SE Engr. Solar Policy, Economics, and Sustainability 5