Effect of Recycling on the Environmental Impact of a High-Efficiency Photovoltaic Module Combining Space-Grade Solar Cells and Optical Micro-Tracking

dc.contributor.authorZiemińska-Stolarska, Aleksandra
dc.contributor.authorPietrzak, Monika
dc.contributor.authorZbiciński, Ireneusz
dc.contributor.authorAffiliationFaculty of Process and Environmental Engineering. Lodz University of Technology.en_EN
dc.contributor.authorAffiliationFaculty of Chemistry. Lodz University of Technology.en_EN
dc.date.accessioned2023-08-25T06:47:02Z
dc.date.available2023-08-25T06:47:02Z
dc.date.issued2023-04-07
dc.descriptionThe data presented in this study are available on request from the corresponding author. The data are not publicly available due to required consent of all project partners.en_EN
dc.description.abstractThis paper presents a life cycle assessment (LCA) analysis of a new, high-concentration photovoltaic (HCPV) technology developed as part of the HIPERION project of hybrid photovoltaics for efficiency record using an integrated optical technology. In the LCA calculations, the production stage of a full module was adopted as a functional unit. SimaPro version 9.00.49, the recent Ecoinvent database (3.8), and the IPCC 2021 GWP 100a environmental model were applied to perform the calculations. The environmental impact of the HCPV panel was determined for constructional data and for recycling of the main elements of the module. The results of the calculations show that recycling of PMMA, rubber, and electronic elements reduced the total carbon footprint by 17%, from 240 to 201 kg CO2-eq. The biggest environmental load was generated by the PV cells: 99.9 kg CO2eq., which corresponds to 49.8% (41.7% without recycling) of the total environmental load due to the large number of solar cells used in the construction. The emission of CO2 over a 25-year lifespan was determined from 17.1 to 23.4 g CO2-eq/kWh (20.4 to 27.9 without recycling), depending on the location. The energy payback time (EPBT) for the analyzed module is 0.87 and 1.19 years, depending on the location and the related insolation factors (Madrid: 470 kWh/m2, Lyon: 344 kWh/m2). The results of the calculations proved that the application of recycling and recovery methods for solar cells can improve the sustainability of the photovoltaic industry.en_EN
dc.description.sponsorshipThis project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement no. 857775.en_EN
dc.identifier.citationZiemińska-Stolarska, A.; Pietrzak, M.; Zbiciński, I. Effect of Recycling on the Environmental Impact of a High-Efficiency Photovoltaic Module Combining Space-Grade Solar Cells and Optical Micro-Tracking. Energies 2023, 16, 3302. https://doi.org/10.3390/en16083302
dc.identifier.doi10.3390/en16083302
dc.identifier.issn1996-1073
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11652/4741
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.3390/en16083302
dc.language.isoen
dc.relation.ispartofserieshttps://www.mdpi.com/journal/energies
dc.relation.ispartofseriesEnergies 2023, 16(8), 3302
dc.rightsThis article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.en_EN
dc.rightsUznanie autorstwa 4.0 Międzynarodowepl_PL
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.subjectsolar energyen_EN
dc.subjectrecyclingen_EN
dc.subjectlife cycle assessment (LCA)en_EN
dc.subjectenvironmental impacten_EN
dc.subjecthigh-concentration photovoltaics (HCPVs)en_EN
dc.titleEffect of Recycling on the Environmental Impact of a High-Efficiency Photovoltaic Module Combining Space-Grade Solar Cells and Optical Micro-Trackingen_EN
dc.typeArtykułpl_PL
dc.typeArticleen_EN

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