Photovoltaics is expected to become the dominant pillar of global energy production with the global energy system transition to 100% renewable energy. As PV scales up globally, questions arise about the availability of resources, the cost, environmental and social impact of PV production, and the modules recyclability at end-of-life. After an introduction of the PV value chain stages, related technologies, and market situation, this lecture will give an overview on methodologies for the economic, ecologic, social assessment of photovoltaics and give insights to related analyses of state-of-the-art and emerging PV technologies.
Speakers / Authors: Annick Anctil | Michigan State University & Sebastian Nold | Fraunhofer ISE
Photovoltaics is expected to become the dominant pillar of global energy production with the global energy system transition to 100% renewable energy. As PV scales up globally, questions arise about the availability of resources, the cost and environmental impact of PV production, the toxicity of the modules and materials used, the impact on land and ecosystem during and after system installation, and finally, modules recyclability at end-of-life.
After an introduction of the PV value chain stages, related technologies, and market situation, this lecture will give an overview on methodologies for the economic, ecologic, social assessment of photovoltaics and give insights to related analyses of state-of-the-art and emerging PV technologies.
To assess the benefits of PV or identify potential concerns, we need to consider all stages from raw material extraction to end-of-life and the impact of PV on society, the economy and the environment. This lecture introduces sustainability concepts and methodologies such as life cycle assessment, techno-economic analysis, and circular economy for PV.
We will discuss sustainability concerns for each of the life cycle stages of a PV module. An overview of critical and non-critical material demand and the role of recycling in ensuring future supply will be presented. Finally, we will summarize waste characterization methods and end-of-life management requirements in various regions.
A summary of the policy and restrictions in the US and Europe and their impact on manufacturing will also be discussed, including the environmental and cost impact of manufacturing in various locations.
