A Life Cycle Assessment of a recovery process from End-of-Life Photovoltaic Panels

Ansanelli, Giuliana; Fiorentino, Gabriella; Tammaro, Marco; Zucaro, Amalia

doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2021.116727

Cited by 78 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…However, including the recycling of the PV components may result in improving the overall energy and environmental performance as well as economic benefits due to the high value of recycled aluminum, silicon, and copper. 30,31 Also, the contribution of energy storage is not included in our analyses because it is best assessed at the grid level. [32][33][34] However, it has been estimated that the benefits of PV when displacing conventional thermal electricity (in terms of carbon emissions and energy renewability) are not materially affected by the addition of lithium-ion battery (LIB) storage.…”

Section: Analyzed Systems and Assumptionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Updated sustainability status of crystalline silicon‐based photovoltaic systems: Life‐cycle energy and environmental impact reduction trends

Fthenakis

Leccisi

2021

Progress in Photovoltaics

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This paper provides a comprehensive assessment of the current life-cycle sustainability status of crystalline-based photovoltaic (PV) systems. Specifically, singlecrystalline Si (sc-Si) and multicrystalline Si (mc-Si) PV systems are analyzed in terms of their environmental and energy performance, providing breakdown contributions and comparisons with estimates published 6 years ago. Results clearly show the significant environmental improvement in the sc-Si PV system production-mainly at the wafer stage-for which the impacts have been reduced by up to 50% in terms of carbon emissions and 42% in terms of acid gas emissions. The life-cycle cumulative energy demand is estimated to be approximately 48% lower (for sc-Si) and 24% lower (for mc-Si) than previously reported estimates. Energy payback times of currently installed systems range from 1.3 (for c-Si PV) and 1.5 years (mc-Si PV) for fixed-tilt ground-mounted installations at low irradiation (1000 kWh/m 2 /year), to 0.6 years at high irradiation (2300 kWh/m 2 /year). The resulting energy returns on investmentexpressed in terms of primary energy-range from 22 (at low irradiation) to 52 (at high irradiation) for sc-Si PV systems and from 21 to 47 for mc-Si PV systems. Furthermore, we examine the effects of cleaner electricity grids and grid efficiency improvements on these environmental and energy indicators.

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Section: Analyzed Systems and Assumptionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Updated sustainability status of crystalline silicon‐based photovoltaic systems: Life‐cycle energy and environmental impact reduction trends

Fthenakis

Leccisi

2021

Progress in Photovoltaics

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“…Energies 2021, 14, 5165 4 of 18 PV end of life (EoL) management and recycling were excluded from the analysis boundary because of the dearth of large-scale recycling facilities on which to base realistic future estimates for collection rates and large-scale material recovery. However, according to preliminary studies, the future recycling of PV components may lead to improvements in energy and environmental performance as well as economic benefits due to the high value of recycled copper, aluminium, silicon [42,43].…”

Section: Photovoltaic (Pv) Electricitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Life-Cycle Carbon Emissions and Energy Implications of High Penetration of Photovoltaics and Electric Vehicles in California

et al. 2021

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California has set two ambitious targets aimed at achieving a high level of decarbonization in the coming decades, namely (i) to generate 60% and 100% of its electricity using renewable energy (RE) technologies, respectively, by 2030 and by 2045, and (ii) introducing at least 5 million zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) by 2030, as a first step towards all new vehicles being ZEVs by 2035. In addition, in California, photovoltaics (PVs) coupled with lithium-ion battery (LIB) storage and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are, respectively, the most promising candidates for new RE installations and new ZEVs, respectively. However, concerns have been voiced about how meeting both targets at the same time could potentially negatively affect the electricity grid’s stability, and hence also its overall energy and carbon performance. This paper addresses those concerns by presenting a thorough life-cycle carbon emission and energy analysis based on an original grid balancing model that uses a combination of historical hourly dispatch and demand data and future projections of hourly demand for BEV charging. Five different scenarios are assessed, and the results unequivocally indicate that a future 80% RE grid mix in California is not only able to cope with the increased demand caused by BEVs, but it can do so with low carbon emissions (<110 g CO2-eq/kWh) and satisfactory net energy returns (EROIPE-eq = 12–16).

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“…There are numerous studies on PV LCAs in the literature [41][42][43][44][45]. Bracquene et al [41] discussed how the eco-design of PV can contribute to reducing the environmental impact of photovoltaic panels.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Bogacka et al [44] conducted a scenario analysis based on the LCA of the environmental impact of PV recycling. Ansanelli et al [45] The development of photovoltaics both in Poland and the entire EU was possible to a large extent through programs aimed at encouraging investors to invest in solar technologies [6,7]. At the same time, designing a renewable energy policy through various types of support programs, tax breaks, subsidies, is extremely important from the point of view of efficiency, environmental friendliness, as well as social equity [34].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The “My Electricity” Program as One of the Ways to Reduce CO2 Emissions in Poland

et al. 2021

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One way to reduce CO2 emissions is to replace conventional energy sources with renewable ones. In order to encourage prosumers to invest in renewable energy, EU Member States are developing renewable energy subsidy programs. In Poland, in the years 2019–2020, the “My Electricity” program was implemented, co-financing was up to 50% of eligible costs (max PLN 5000, i.e., EUR 1111), and the total cost of the program was 251 million euro. During this period, around 400,000 prosumer installations were created in Poland, including over 220,000 prosumer PV Installations under the My Electricity program. The total power of the installation under the “My Electricity” program was 1.295 GWp with an average installation power of 5.72 kWp. It is estimated that the micro-installations will produce approx. 1.4 TWh of electricity annually. Depending on the replaced source of electricity (coal, gas, mix), in the next 30 years, it will help to avoid 26.2–42.7 million Mg of greenhouse gases calculated as carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2eq). The coefficient of subsidy expenditure from the “My Electricity” program was 194 EUR/kWp, and in the next 30 years, it will be 6.52 EUR/MWh. The investment in PV will save EUR 1550 million, which would have to be incurred for the purchase of CO2 emission permits.

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A Life Cycle Assessment of a recovery process from End-of-Life Photovoltaic Panels

Cited by 78 publications

References 38 publications

Updated sustainability status of crystalline silicon‐based photovoltaic systems: Life‐cycle energy and environmental impact reduction trends

Updated sustainability status of crystalline silicon‐based photovoltaic systems: Life‐cycle energy and environmental impact reduction trends

Life-Cycle Carbon Emissions and Energy Implications of High Penetration of Photovoltaics and Electric Vehicles in California

The “My Electricity” Program as One of the Ways to Reduce CO2 Emissions in Poland

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