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Impacts of changing design considerations on the life cycle carbon emissions of solar photovoltaic systems

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  • Nian, Victor

Abstract

The developments in solar photovoltaic (PV) systems are mainly driven by the agenda to reduce carbon emissions of energy systems. PV systems produce nearly zero carbon emission when in operation, but the manufacturing processes are not free from carbon emissions. Studies found in the literature generally employ life cycle analysis (LCA) to quantify carbon emissions from PV systems, but there are large variations in the reported values of the life cycle carbon emission factors. These variations are caused by the use of different methodologies and associated assumptions (or design considerations). In an attempt to quantify the impacts of varying design considerations on LCA results, this study introduces a concept of temporal expansion of the physical system boundaries. This will enable us to reformulate an LCA methodology for manufacturing systems analysis based on a generic process chain analysis framework. The reformulated methodology can facilitate an accurate, transparent, and consistent description of the system and boundary conditions. When quantifying the impacts of varying design considerations through case studies, reference values of the life cycle carbon emission factors of PV systems are computed for a wide ranging geographical locations. The distribution of the reference values reveals the maximum and typical variations in the life cycle carbon emission factors of PV systems. In addition, the mapping of these values can facilitate selection of environmentally favorable configurations of PV system supply chains as well as benchmarking in future LCA studies.

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  • Nian, Victor, 2016. "Impacts of changing design considerations on the life cycle carbon emissions of solar photovoltaic systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 1471-1487.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:183:y:2016:i:c:p:1471-1487
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.08.176
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    2. Krexner, T. & Bauer, A. & Gronauer, A. & Mikovits, C. & Schmidt, J. & Kral, I., 2024. "Environmental life cycle assessment of a stilted and vertical bifacial crop-based agrivoltaic multi land-use system and comparison with a mono land-use of agricultural land," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    3. Castellanos, Sergio & Santibañez-Aguilar, José E. & Shapiro, Benjamin B. & Powell, Douglas M. & Peters, Ian M. & Buonassisi, Tonio & Kammen, Daniel M. & Flores-Tlacuahuac, Antonio, 2018. "Sustainable silicon photovoltaics manufacturing in a global market: A techno-economic, tariff and transportation framework," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 212(C), pages 704-719.
    4. Nian, Victor & Jindal, Gautam & Li, Hailong, 2019. "A feasibility study on integrating large-scale battery energy storage systems with combined cycle power generation – Setting the bottom line," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(C), pages 396-408.
    5. Ma, Chao & Liu, Zhao, 2022. "Water-surface photovoltaics: Performance, utilization, and interactions with water eco-environment," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    6. Yabo Wang & Victor Nian & Hailong Li & Jun Yuan, 2018. "Life Cycle Analysis of Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle Power Generation in the Context of Southeast Asia," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-18, June.
    7. Haicheng Jia & Ling Liang & Jiqing Xie & Jianyun Zhang, 2022. "Environmental Effects of Technological Improvements in Polysilicon Photovoltaic Systems in China—A Life Cycle Assessment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-18, July.
    8. Nian, Victor & Mignacca, Benito & Locatelli, Giorgio, 2022. "Policies toward net-zero: Benchmarking the economic competitiveness of nuclear against wind and solar energy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 320(C).
    9. Wang, Yabo & Liu, Shengchun & Nian, Victor & Li, Xueqiang & Yuan, Jun, 2019. "Life cycle cost-benefit analysis of refrigerant replacement based on experience from a supermarket project," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    10. Miller, Ian & Gençer, Emre & Vogelbaum, Hilary S. & Brown, Patrick R. & Torkamani, Sarah & O'Sullivan, Francis M., 2019. "Parametric modeling of life cycle greenhouse gas emissions from photovoltaic power," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 238(C), pages 760-774.
    11. Pinto, Mauricio Almeida & Frate, Cláudio Albuquerque & Rodrigues, Thiago Oliveira & Caldeira-Pires, Armando, 2020. "Sensitivity analysis of the carbon payback time for a Brazilian photovoltaic power plant," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    12. Nian, Victor & Liu, Yang & Zhong, Sheng, 2019. "Life cycle cost-benefit analysis of offshore wind energy under the climatic conditions in Southeast Asia – Setting the bottom-line for deployment," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 233, pages 1003-1014.
    13. Zhu, Rui & Lau, Wing Sze & You, Linlin & Yan, Jinyue & Ratti, Carlo & Chen, Min & Wong, Man Sing & Qin, Zheng, 2024. "Multi-sourced data modelling of spatially heterogenous life-cycle carbon mitigation from installed rooftop photovoltaics: A case study in Singapore," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 362(C).
    14. Zhong, Jianmei & Zhang, Wei & Xie, Lingzhi & Zhao, Oufan & Wu, Xin & Zeng, Xiding & Guo, Jiahong, 2023. "Development and challenges of bifacial photovoltaic technology and application in buildings: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    15. Li, Yanjie & Nian, Victor & Li, Hailong & Liu, Shengchun & Wang, Yabo, 2021. "A life cycle analysis techno-economic assessment framework for evaluating future technology pathways – The residential air-conditioning example," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 291(C).
    16. Nian, Victor & Yuan, Jun, 2017. "A method for analysis of maritime transportation systems in the life cycle approach – The oil tanker example," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 206(C), pages 1579-1589.

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