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A climate rationale for research and development on photovoltaics manufacture

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  • Ravikumar, Dwarakanath
  • Wender, Ben
  • Seager, Thomas P.
  • Fraser, Matthew P.
  • Tao, Meng

Abstract

Photovoltaic (PV) power generation is critical to many climate policy goals, as PV electricity results in little or no greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions during use, utilities and governments view PV installations as a way to accelerate progress towards emissions reduction targets. However, typical analyses of the GHG implications of the PV lifecycle ignore inter-temporal effects, in which the initial GHGs emitted in PV manufacturing phase must be offset by avoided fossil-fuel combustion emissions during use. Thus, the overall climate benefits of PV are a function of both GHG efficiency of PV manufacture, and electricity generation efficiency of deployed modules during use. Improvements to PV manufacture result in immediate climate benefits, in contrast with improvements in module efficiency which may offset greater GHG emissions, albeit over decades of useful life.

Suggested Citation

  • Ravikumar, Dwarakanath & Wender, Ben & Seager, Thomas P. & Fraser, Matthew P. & Tao, Meng, 2017. "A climate rationale for research and development on photovoltaics manufacture," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 189(C), pages 245-256.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:189:y:2017:i:c:p:245-256
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.12.050
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