WASHINGTON — America’s growing reliance on solar power may have created a new enemy for environmentalists — a greenhouse gas that’s thousands of times more potent than CO2. <br /> <br />According to data recently released by the U.S. Environmental <br />Protection Agency, carbon dioxide makes up 82 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States. The gas nitrogen trifluoride, or NF3, accounts for only a small margin, but is on the rise. <br /> <br />Overall emissions fell by 2.2 percent, and CO2 has risen only 5.6 percent from 1990 to 2015. Levels of NF3, however, have seen a 1,057 percent increase over those same 25 years. <br /> <br />This exponential rise has been linked to the manufacturing sector, which uses the chemical to make solar panels, semiconductors and LCDs. <br /> <br />NF3 is mainly used as a cleaning agent to clear away excess silicone. The gas is mostly eliminated during use, but a small percentage is reportedly leaked into the atmosphere. <br /> <br />It’s unclear exactly how much has been leaked, but scientists warn that NF3 is highly effective at trapping heat, and can remain in the atmosphere for up to 740 years. <br /> <br />Scientists warn that NF3, when combined with CO2 and other greenhouse gases, could lead to a climate problem, especially with the emissions rising not only in the U.S., but in growing solar markets in Asia as well. <br /> <br />With carbon dioxide proving difficult to limit, environmentalists could soon target NF3 in their quest to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
