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A comparative life cycle assessment of chalcogenide/Si tandem solar modules

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  • Lunardi, Marina M.
  • Moore, Stephen
  • Alvarez-Gaitan, J.P.
  • Yan, Chang
  • Hao, Xiaojing
  • Corkish, Richard

Abstract

Tandem technologies offer potential price reductions and higher efficiencies of PV modules. The high band gap nature of chalcogenides like CIGS, CZTS and AZTS makes them excellent materials for use on top of a Si base tandem cells. Nevertheless, along with the search for new technologies, there is also the concern about the environmental impact that its lifetime can cause. A comprehensive life cycle assessment for CIGS/Si, CZTS/Si and AZTS/Si tandem solar modules was not reported to date. This work compares the environmental impacts of Si and chalcogenide/Si tandem solar modules, assessing global warming potential, human toxicity potential (cancer and non-cancer effects), freshwater eutrophication potential, freshwater ecotoxicity potential, abiotic depletion potential and the energy payback time of these technologies. The results of this study show that compared with Si, CIGS/Si presents worse environmental impacts for most of the categories but, on the other hand, CZTS/Si and AZTS/Si present better outcomes for most of the impacts categories. We can also say that higher efficiency of these tandem technologies could potentially reverse that result. This LCA provides design advice for the R&D community, showing which structure has the best environmental outcomes and which processes should be optimized to achieve better results.

Suggested Citation

  • Lunardi, Marina M. & Moore, Stephen & Alvarez-Gaitan, J.P. & Yan, Chang & Hao, Xiaojing & Corkish, Richard, 2018. "A comparative life cycle assessment of chalcogenide/Si tandem solar modules," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 700-709.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:145:y:2018:i:c:p:700-709
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2017.12.130
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Lunardi, Marina M. & Needell, David R. & Bauser, Haley & Phelan, Megan & Atwater, Harry A. & Corkish, Richard, 2019. "Life Cycle Assessment of tandem LSC-Si devices," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 1-10.
    4. Muath Bani Salim & Dervis Emre Demirocak & Nael Barakat, 2018. "A Fuzzy Based Model for Standardized Sustainability Assessment of Photovoltaic Cells," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-15, December.
    5. Mérida García, A. & Gallagher, J. & McNabola, A. & Camacho Poyato, E. & Montesinos Barrios, P. & Rodríguez Díaz, J.A., 2019. "Comparing the environmental and economic impacts of on- or off-grid solar photovoltaics with traditional energy sources for rural irrigation systems," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 895-904.
    6. Giambattista Guidi & Anna Carmela Violante & Simona De Iuliis, 2023. "Environmental Impact of Electricity Generation Technologies: A Comparison between Conventional, Nuclear, and Renewable Technologies," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-33, November.
    7. Krychkovskyi Taras, 2019. "The costs comparison of producing, exploitation and utilization of renewable, nuclear and non-renewable energy," Technology audit and production reserves, 3(47) 2019, Socionet;Technology audit and production reserves, vol. 3(4(47)), pages 35-39.
    8. Atif Ali & Theodore W. Koch & Timothy A. Volk & Robert W. Malmsheimer & Mark H. Eisenbies & Danielle Kloster & Tristan R. Brown & Nehan Naim & Obste Therasme, 2022. "The Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Electricity Production in New York State from Distributed Solar Photovoltaic Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(19), pages 1-20, October.
    9. Aşkın, Asmin & Kılkış, Şiir & Akınoğlu, Bülent Gültekin, 2023. "Recycling photovoltaic modules within a circular economy approach and a snapshot for Türkiye," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 583-596.
    10. Vincenzo Muteri & Maurizio Cellura & Domenico Curto & Vincenzo Franzitta & Sonia Longo & Marina Mistretta & Maria Laura Parisi, 2020. "Review on Life Cycle Assessment of Solar Photovoltaic Panels," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-38, January.

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