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Life Cycle Assessment of a 150 kW Electronic Power Inverter

Author

Listed:
  • Briac Baudais

    (SATIE, UMR CNRS 8029, École Normale Supérieure de Rennes, 35170 Bruz, France
    Mitsubishi Electric Research Centre Europe, 35700 Rennes, France)

  • Hamid Ben Ahmed

    (SATIE, UMR CNRS 8029, École Normale Supérieure de Rennes, 35170 Bruz, France)

  • Gurvan Jodin

    (SATIE, UMR CNRS 8029, École Normale Supérieure de Rennes, 35170 Bruz, France)

  • Nicolas Degrenne

    (Mitsubishi Electric Research Centre Europe, 35700 Rennes, France)

  • Stéphane Lefebvre

    (SATIE, UMR CNRS 8029, CNRS, CNAM, 75003 Paris, France)

Abstract

Based on the consideration of various environmental problems caused by human activities, energy transition solutions are starting to emerge. Power electronics will be central to these transitions. The level of knowledge linking power electronics and sustainability remains very limited today, and the study of the environmental impacts tied to the mass-scale deployment of power electronic systems across all sectors of activity is now essential. This study presents the life cycle assessment of a power electronic inverter capable of delivering a power of 150 kW, operating with an average 450 V DC bus for 15 years with 10,000 operating hours. The main hotspots are investigated to offer recommendations to designers. The most important impact highlighted is the depletion of mineral resources. Manufacturing and use are the two subsections with the highest environmental impact. Manufacturing is dominated by the casing and power module (specifically, the electric contacts, baseplate, and die). These results make it possible to orient an eco-design action with technologies capable of creating an evolution in hotspots. However, they also serve to consider scenarios involving a circular economy by setting up maintenance, recycling, and reuse loops in the inverter, combined with modularity and self-diagnostic functions.

Suggested Citation

  • Briac Baudais & Hamid Ben Ahmed & Gurvan Jodin & Nicolas Degrenne & Stéphane Lefebvre, 2023. "Life Cycle Assessment of a 150 kW Electronic Power Inverter," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-18, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:5:p:2192-:d:1079200
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Johan Rockström & Will Steffen & Kevin Noone & Åsa Persson & F. Stuart Chapin & Eric F. Lambin & Timothy M. Lenton & Marten Scheffer & Carl Folke & Hans Joachim Schellnhuber & Björn Nykvist & Cynthia , 2009. "A safe operating space for humanity," Nature, Nature, vol. 461(7263), pages 472-475, September.
    2. Shannon M. Lloyd & Robert Ries, 2007. "Characterizing, Propagating, and Analyzing Uncertainty in Life‐Cycle Assessment: A Survey of Quantitative Approaches," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 11(1), pages 161-179, January.
    3. Andrea Temporelli & Maria Leonor Carvalho & Pierpaolo Girardi, 2020. "Life Cycle Assessment of Electric Vehicle Batteries: An Overview of Recent Literature," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-13, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Laura Vauche & Gabin Guillemaud & Joao-Carlos Lopes Barbosa & Léa Di Cioccio, 2024. "Cradle-to-Gate Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of GaN Power Semiconductor Device," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-18, January.
    2. Florentin Salomez & Hugo Helbling & Morgan Almanza & Ulrich Soupremanien & Guillaume Viné & Adrien Voldoire & Bruno Allard & Hamid Ben-Ahmed & Daniel Chatroux & Antoine Cizeron & Mylène Delhommais & M, 2024. "State of the Art of Research towards Sustainable Power Electronics," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-23, March.

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